


Echoes

by RowanSilverwolf



Series: All is well [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Doctor Whump, Doctor loves Rose, F/M, Romance, Slight torture, Time Agency
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 49,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22566085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowanSilverwolf/pseuds/RowanSilverwolf
Summary: More adventures of Ten,Rose and Jack. A sequel to 'All that's left behind' with lots of trouble, silliness, fluff and danger. The Time Agency catch up with Jack, and a face from their past causes more troubles on the Tardis
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: All is well [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623688
Comments: 8
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

Martha stood in the stairwell drinking her coffee and staring out of the window over London. God this place could be boring sometimes. You wouldn't think it working in a hospital but after the things she's seen life on Earth was just a little too pedestrian. People passed her on the stairs, not even noticing her, paying no attention to what was around them at all and that's when she saw it. The flash of a familiar brown flashed in the corner of her eye. She wasn't sure she saw it at first, it was such a fleeting glance it could have been a trick of her mind but as she turned she saw the same colour disappearing through the door at the top of the next flight.

"Doctor?" she whispered and took off after the phantom. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears. Had he come back for her at last? She found herself smiling at the thought and an explosion of butterflies in her stomach. He must have. Why else would he be here?

Bursting through the door she looked up and down the quiet corridor listening for the sound of his plimsolls on the lino flooring. She heard a muffled clang and curse coming from one direction. Biting back her smile she edged towards the storage room and was almost knocked flying as someone all but tumbled out, arms laden with supplies.

"Oh, sorry," he muttered breathlessly stuffing things into his pockets as he made for the stair well.

"Doctor?!"

"Nope, sorry. Don't work here. Try down the hall," he called distractedly before disappearing through the doors.

"Doctor wait!" Martha called again taking off after him. She didn't stop running until she reached the car park, four floors down. Looking around she spotted a familiar blue box and her heart leapt. Standing at the door was an unfamiliar man wearing a blue army coat.

She took off after the Doctor calling out to him across the car park.

He didn't turn round once until he reached the doors and the other man said something, pointing in Martha's direction.

"Martha! Oh am I glad to see you." The Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her inside the TARDIS. "Come on, I need your help. Jack, get us out of here before anyone notices they've been robbed." He didn't stop to draw breath; he just kept running through the corridors until they reached a big, white, clinical looking room.

"Doctor what's going on?"

"My friend, she's hurt and I need more pairs of hands."

She felt a twinge of jealously at the fact he had another companion, let alone a female and stopped in the doorway as the Doctor rushed over to the figure in the bed.

"Its okay sweetheart, I'm back and we're going to fix you up." He pressed a light kiss to the girl's forehead as his hands frantically started throwing things out of his pockets onto the table at his side. "Martha? A little help please!"

She couldn't help it, she was dumbstruck. She's never seen the Doctor like that before. _'Looks like he finally got over Rose.'_ She sighed to herself and crossed over to the bed.

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"Sweetheart this is Martha. You remember me telling you about Martha. She's going to help us. Martha, this is Rose." 

XxXxX 

Martha stood staring down at the blond girl for a moment. _'How could this be Rose? She was meant to be gone. Forever.'_

__

__

"Right," the Doctor shrugged out of his jacket. "Martha, I need you to start cleaning up her side okay while I work on her head. Go on." He threw cotton and saline solution at her and directed her to the other side of the bed. 

"She needs to be in the hospital," she told him quietly seeing the nasty gash on her side. 

"No go. She wouldn't last two minutes once they get their hands on her," he told her, pressing a stethoscope to one side of Rose's chest and then the other. 

"You'd hear it better in the middle," she muttered. 

__"That works on single hearted folk. When there's more than one the middle is the last place you listen to."_ _

__Martha froze and opened her mouth to speak but the Doctor shushed her before she had the chance, staring intently at Rose. He pressed his fingers to her temples and closed his eyes not moving for what seemed like ages._ _

__"Rose?" he whispered finally in her ear, his eyes watching hers. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as Rose's eyelids began to flutter and she took a deep breath._ _

__Rolling her head towards the warmth of the Doctor's breath she smiled lightly as she opened her eye's to look into his._ _

__"Hello," he grinned. "Now what have I always said about wandering off?"_ _

__Rose shrugged lightly._ _

__Martha cleared her throat, feeling more than a little uncomfortable about witnessing the scene before her._ _

__"You scared me then," he chastised as if he hadn't heard Martha at all._ _

__"Sorry."_ _

__He was about to say something else when the TARDIS gave a violent jerk and threw them off balance._ _

__"JACK! What the hell is he doing?" he growled. "Stay here!" he told Rose pointedly. "Don't let her go anywhere for at least ten minutes," he said to Martha darting out of the door._ _

__"Hello." Rose smiled at Martha. "Sorry, didn't notice you there for a moment." She blinked a few times, trying to clear her head. "I'm Rose."_ _

__"So he said. Martha Jones."_ _

__"I know. I've heard a lot about you Martha Jones." Rose, slid off the bed and took the cotton from the stunned medical student's hand._ _

__"Have you?"_ _

__"Yep. Should be honoured. He never spoke about any of his old companions last time I travelled with him. Well, not until we bumped into one of them."_ _

__"Oh" was all Martha could say._ _

__"You okay?" Rose asked, hissing as her side stung from antiseptic._ _

__Shaking herself from her trance, Martha rushed to Rose's side and began bandaging up her waist._ _

__"What happened anyway?" she asked._ _

__"I wandered off." Rose giggled._ _

__"Wandered off what? A cliff?"_ _

__"Pretty much. We were messing around and I slipped and fell."_ _

__"Ouch. What was the head thing about? I've seen him slip into people's minds before but he was like that for ages just now."_ _

__"Yeah, he was scrabbling around trying to see if there was anything wrong. He sedated me when he brought me back on board. He was checking I was okay before bringing me round again. At least that's what he was saying up here," she tapped her temple. "Although, between you and me I think he just likes to be nosey." Rose winked at Martha and gave her a smile._ _

__Martha gave a small smile back but yelped as the TARDIS practically threw them across the room._ _

__"What has Jack been doing?!" Rose gasped, biting her lip as her side pained her._ _

__"Who's Jack?" Martha asked, helping Rose back to her feet._ _

__"An old friend who loves to get his hands dirty. Annoys the hell out of the Doctor."_ _

__"Sounds like a fun guy."_ _

__"Oh he is. And as much as the Doctor moans, he loves him really. Come on, lets find out what they're up to."_ _

__The TARDIS rumbled and shook as they made their way along the corridor._ _

__"I've never felt her behave like this before," Martha said holding onto Rose as Rose held on to the wall for support._ _

__"Me neither. I don't like it, something is seriously wrong with her."_ _

__XxXxX_ _

__"Jack, pull that lever. No the other one. Right now pump the one next to it like our lives depend on it."_ _

__"Doc, it's not working. She's going to overload if we can't solve this."_ _

__"Doctor?" Martha's voice came from the doorway._ _

__"I told you to stay with Rose," he shouted, not even looking up from the monitor._ _

__"I did," she called back defensively._ _

__This time he looked up and saw Rose gripping onto the doorframe. "What are you doing here?" He was at her side in an instant, hugging her tightly._ _

__"Uh, Doc. We still have a problem here," Jack interrupted._ _

_'Never waste time with a hug.'_ Those words rang through Martha's head as she watched him grip Rose as if his life depended on it. 

___"Later," Rose whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek._ _ _

___"Right." He nodded and guided her to the jump seats. "Strap in," he told her "you too, Martha. This is going to be uncomfortable. Jack, we're going to have to fuse her. Force her to make an emergency landing then work our way backwards to find the problem."_ _ _

___"Wont that hurt her?" Rose asked._ _ _

___"Yes but hopefully it won't be so bad that I can't fix it."_ _ _

___"And what if you can't fix it? What then?" Martha asked._ _ _

___"Then I get domestic," he said grimly._ _ _

___"What happens if you don't fuse her?"_ _ _

___"Then she rips herself apart in the middle of the time vortex, taking us with her."_ _ _

___"Wow, not even really an option of riding it out then?" Jack said, looking intently at the Doctor._ _ _

___"Not a chance. Oh, Martha Jones, Jack Harkness. Jack Harkness, Martha Jones." The Doctor tried to keep his balance as he stepped down into the engineering pit under the control panel._ _ _

___"Captain Jack Harkness," he corrected._ _ _

___Rose and the Doctor both coughed something that sounded dangerously like 'Sparrow' as he said his surname and Martha held back a smile at the friendly tease._ _ _

___"Jack, grab a-hold of something!" the Doctor yelled._ _ _

___"What are you doing?"_ _ _

___"Just do it!"_ _ _

___Jack stumbled back and wrapped his arms around the rail and waited._ _ _

___The TARDIS jerked and stuttered, shaking so hard that parts started to come loose, falling all around them._ _ _

___The Doctor yelled as a flash came from under the panelling._ _ _

___"Theta?!" Rose yelled, trying to see into the pit._ _ _

___There was another flash and the TARDIS fell dark, only some strip lighting illuminating the floor, casting strange shadows, up the walls. The room seemed to flip over and over as if it was rolling down a hill top over bottom._ _ _

___It was only by the grace of God that Jack managed to keep his grip on the rail, locking his legs round the lower rail, pinning himself to it._ _ _

___As they rolled to a stop the three rushed to the pit._ _ _

___"Doctor? You okay?"_ _ _

___"Urgh." Came a reply and they all breathed a sigh of relief. "I never thought I'd feel travel sick on my own ship!" Shakily the Doctor got to his feet and clamped a hand to his head._ _ _

___"Come on." Jack held out his hand to help the Doctor out._ _ _

___"Everyone okay?"_ _ _

___"We're fine, a little battered bruised but otherwise fine."_ _ _

___"What about you?" Rose reached a hand up to cup his cheek._ _ _

___"My head hurts," he pouted._ _ _

___She pulled his hand from his head and saw a gash on his temple._ _ _

___"So what now?" Jack asked peering through the darkness at the control panel._ _ _

___"I have to go and reboot her."_ _ _

___"Okay, how do we do that?"_ _ _

___"I'm going to need Rose, which means I've got to fix you up first." Taking Rose by the hand he led her back to the infirmary and sat her on the table. Using the sonic screwdriver as a torch he rummaged through one of the cupboards._ _ _

___"What are you looking for?" Martha asked, watching the progress of the blue searchlight flit from cupboard to cupboard and drawer to drawer._ _ _

___"Aha!" he cheered triumphantly. Shaking the tube it began to glow a golden yellow._ _ _

___"Nanogenes? Where the hell did you get those?" Jack asked, "I haven't seen those since the 1940's."_ _ _

___"I found them in one of the storage rooms a few months back. The number of times I could have used these over the past few years. Still, at least now it means I can do this." The Doctor moved over to Rose and lifted her shirt up to her chin. If it hadn't been so dark she might have blushed._ _ _

___"No point in using them all," he told them, lifting only one side of the stopper. A small, golden wisp of the nanogenes seeped out and went to work, buzzing around Rose's head and sides, healing any wounds it could find. Some found the cut on the Doctor's temple and set about fixing him up, all bumps and bruises soon fading into insignificance._ _ _

___"So what's the plan?" Rose asked._ _ _

___"Jack, take Martha to the control room, I need you to redirect the power from the backup generator powering the strip lights to the control panel monitor; Rose and I will go to the engine room and fix the fuse."_ _ _

___"But I don't know anything about engines," Rose told him_ _ _

___"And isn't everything in the control room?" Jack asked feeling a little lost._ _ _

___"Not everything that keeps the TARDIS running is in the control room. The heart and the brain are in the main control room, everything else, including what we need is down in the bowels, in the second control room. And I need Rose to help me heal her."_ _ _

___"How?"_ _ _

___"I need you to act as an amplifier. It'll be easier to explain once we're there. You two, head back to the control room. Hopefully I'll be able to boost the signal from the cameras to the monitor and you'll be able to keep an eye out for anything that might go wrong. Rose, at any time you can back out. I can do this alone."_ _ _

___"But it's easier with two, right?"_ _ _

___"Yeah."_ _ _

___"And safer?"_ _ _

___"Yeah."_ _ _

___"Then I'm coming and I'm doing it, whatever it takes. This is my home too. She's part of me now."_ _ _

___"That's why I know you can help fix her. Lets get moving."_ _ _

___XxXxX_ _ _


	2. Chapter 2

Rose followed the Doctor for what seemed like miles, through the corridors of the TARDIS, his sonic screwdriver throwing an eerie blue light over the walls and pipes.

Gripping the Doctor's hand tightly she suppressed a shudder as the temperature dropped.

"So Martha seems nice. A little frosty at first but nice."

"Yeah, she's a great girl."

"Is that why you landed where you did? To get her help?"

"Actually, it didn't even register where we were." He stopped and turned to face her.

"I just wanted to get supplies and back to you. Landing in the car park of Martha's hospital was pure luck. Now, no wandering off this time. And I mean none at all." He reached up and stroked her cheek. "I don't want to have to fix you again for a long while. I know I owe you on that score a thousand times over but let's find another way of repaying the favours. Aha! This is the door," he declared looking across the corridor.

Rose giggled at his rapid change of subject and mood. That was her Doctor all over.

"So what do we do?" she asked as the Doctor fiddled with the sonic screwdriver.

"First I try and get a signal from the camera to the monitor in the control room. The back up generator should have enough power if Jack's wired it right."

"Why would he need to be able to see us?"

"It's not the easiest of things to do. It's not flicking a switch; we have to use ourselves to fix her. We both have the time vortex in us and she needs that essence to fix the fused parts. I have enough in me but it'll take longer and much more effort. If there are two of us…."

"It doubles the healing power, got it."

"But if something goes wrong, Jack will be able to see." He took one of her hands and pressed it against a metal plate the secondary control panel. "Now's the time to back out." He looked her squarely in the eyes and she just smiled, telling him everything he needed to know. "Okay, this is going to seem strange but just trust me."

"Always," she whispered.

XxXxX

"Success. We have visual," Jack cheered as the monitor flickered into life. Martha rushed to his side and watched.

"What are they going to do?"

"I have no idea but knowing the Doctor something…. alien," he chuckled.

"So who are you Jack Harkness?" She eyed him up and down as he kept his gaze fixed on the monitor.

"Former Time agent and reformed con man."

"Reformed?"

"Yeah, the Doctor is pretty persuasive on the rights and wrongs of the universe. I found a better life with him, a better me. Some find God, I found the Doctor. Although between you and me, most species think he is God. Don't ever tell him that though, his ego doesn't cope well with compliments, despite the bravado. Gives him more to live up to! Now, what in the world is going on there? Doesn't look much like work to me." He cocked an eyebrow at the monitor.

XxXxX

The Doctor stepped forward, placing one hand over hers on the plate and his free arm wrapped around her waist pulling her tightly to him. He ducked his head so they were standing temple to temple.

She could feel his hearts pounding through his suit, the rhythms gradually synching up with her own.

"Okay, relax and think of…..healing thoughts. You know happy things, memories, your favourite songs. Anything that makes you smile and feel warm inside even on your darkest days but don't break the connection until I say."

Rose closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling her body relax against him. Most of her thoughts involved the Doctor in one way or another. Some were simple pleasures; curling up together in front of the tv or in bed while he read her the most boring book he could find when she couldn't sleep. She found herself suppressing a giggle as she remembered Cassandra taking over his body, telling her it was hardly used and how she knew Rose had been looking.

"Not my finest hour," the Doctor said, chuckling. "I can see your thoughts Rose Tyler. Ooo I like that one though, we should revisit that one later."

"We can talk while we do this?"

"As long as it's happy things and we don't break contact."

"Kind of a cliché isn't it? Thinking happy thoughts and the nastiness will go away."

"I know, but the TARIDS feeds off us. We're a part of her as much as she is a part of us."

"Like when you regenerated. You got sick and she stopped working properly."

"Hey, hey happy things."

"Oh that is a happy thought," she told him, her tongue poking between her teeth. "After all, look what I ended up with."

"Is that a compliment Rose Tyler?"

"Maybe," she whispered into his ear, her breath against his neck making him tingle. "That's one of my favourites," she told him as an image of his past self taking her hand in Henricks basement flickered through his mind. The image that followed filled Rose's heart to the point she thought it might burst. Her and the Doctor lying in his bed face to face. It was not long after she'd been pulled through the rift and he'd be electrocuted by the control panel. Another testimony to Jack's handy work. He was in bed recovering and he'd been desperate to tell her something before anything else bad happened. He always seemed to get interrupted in the big moments and this time he wasn't going to let anything stop him, even a nasty coughing fit. Instead he'd pressed his lips to hers, telling her everything she needed to know. It was their first proper kiss, no underlying circumstances of either one being possessed. The reason was plain and simple. He loved her and needed her to know. He's missed his chance on the beach and he wasn't going to let it happen again.

Rose couldn't help the smile that crept across her face at the memory. It was such a soft and tentative kiss, everything she thought it would be really. Of course there had been many kisses since then, some breathtakingly passionate and punishing, others soft and gentle but all were filled with love and Rose cherished every one of them.

Her free arm snaked its way up the arm around her waist, across his shoulder and her fingers buried themselves into the hair on the back of his neck. She heard the Doctor sigh and felt his arm tighten round her.

XxXxX

"What do you suppose they're doing?"

"Fixing the TARDIS would be my guess. Take a look at their hands on the control panel. It looks like there's a kind of glow, like an energy pulsing, see?" He pointed to the screen and Martha leaned in to get a closer look.

"So what's all the hugging about?"

"That really is a question for the Doc. Although he doesn't look comfy. He's kinda stooped over." Jack frowned and peered at the monitor as closely as he could without the image distorting in his vision. "Must be a reason."

The TARDIS began to hum lightly and the control room lighten. Jack looked around them, smiling lightly.

"Well whatever it is they're doing its working."

"Jack?" Martha tugged on his arm and nodded to the monitor.

"That's probably not a good thing."

"What do we do?"

"Try and help them. Come on." Jack grabbed Martha's and ran down the corridor.

"The Doctor said to stay put."

"So you always do what you're told Martha Jones?"

"We don't even know where they are. I've never seen that room before."

"I have, I just have to try and remember where I found it. Unless the TARDIS wants to help us out."

"Help us out? How's it meant to do that?"

"Are you sure you travelled with the Doc? The ships alive, Martha, she can move rooms to make them easily accessible if she wants to. Although that room looks hopeful." He nodded to a door standing ajar. Throwing the door side, Jack found his friends in a heap on the floor. "Rose? Doctor?"

He ran to their side and checked for a pulse on both. "Why two hearts? Makes checking the pulse so much harder. You never know if it's wrong or not. Still there's a pulse, we'll have to get Doc fit enough to check Rose properly."

"What happened to them?" Martha looked Rose over, seeing a burn on her temple.

"Not a clue. That's the thing about the Doc, always plays things close to his chest. But then you'd know all about that." He smiled at her softly before turning his attention back to the Doctor. "Come on buddy. Wakey wakey. Rose needs you."

The Doctor's eyes snapped open as he drew in a deep breath.

"Never fails," Jack chuckled.

"What never fails?" he panted.

"Mention Rose needs you and you jump to it. What happened?"

"Rose?!" The Doctor scrabbled to her side and pressed his ear to her chest. He breathed a sigh of relief and scooped her up. "Come on. Lets get out of here."

"Is she okay?" Martha asked, stepping in time beside him.

"She'll be fine," he smiled.

"She's right here. And I think I can walk" Rose's voice came shakily.

"That's twice today you've scared me." The Doctor stopped and set her feet on the floor. "How do you feel?"

"Like I stood up too quickly." She blinked a few times trying to clear her head. "What happened?"

"I have a theory but I need to get to the main control room to check it out. Basically though, think of a back draft."

XxXxX

"A back draft? Like when you open the door of a room that's on fire?" Jack asked following Rose, the Doctor and Martha into the main control room.

"Exactly. You open the door and feed the fire more oxygen, too much oxygen. The flame then sets fire to the oxygen and travels towards you. I think that's what happened just now. We fed the TARDIS too much information so she tried to spit to back out." He helped Rose onto the jump seat.

"Like burping a baby," Martha said.

"Exactly." The Doctor threw her a huge grin. "Good to see you again by the way." He gave her a quick hug before running to the monitor. "Why don't you have a peek outside, see where we landed?"

Jack and Martha nodded, hesitantly peering through a crack in the door before stepping out into the daylight.

"Rose, sure you're okay?"

"Apart from a headache I'm fine." She smiled sliding off the seat and stepping beside him. "What about you?"

"Same." He reached up one hand and rested it on the back of Rose's head and rubbed his fingers in circles, massaging the tension.

She closed her eyes and smiled to herself as she heard the tapping of the keyboard, even while trying to ease her pain he was still working away.

"Well it looks like we're going to be here for a while, so she can sort herself out."

"Is everything okay?"

"It will be; she just needs a bit of down time before recharging in the vortex."

Rose was looking at him now. He looked so studious with his glasses perched on his nose, frowning at the screen.

The Doctor turned to look at her, his gaze flicked to her temple and spotted the circular burn. His hand left the back of her head, his fingers lightly touched the mark and he winced. "Does that hurt?"

"No, what is it?"

"Just a little burn, if it doesn't hurt it's nothing to worry about. I probably have one too." He smiled and pressed his lips to the mark. "Lets go and see where we are shall we?"

Rose pulled against him as he started towards the door.

He looked round questioningly.

She smiled and turned his face to the side.

"What?"

"Just wanted to see yours," she said, mirroring his actions by pressing a kiss to his temple. "Shall we find the other two?"

"I think we should, Jack can get into more trouble than me when he's left to his own devices."

XxXxX

"Well this could've been a lot worse," Jack smiled, closing his eyes and loving the feel of the sun on his face. "Where are we anyway?"

"On a beach Jack," the Doctor responded distractedly.

"I gathered that, smart ass. But where is this beach?"

"You're sitting on it."

Jack turned his head to look at his companion. He was propped up on his elbow, legs stretched out in front of him. His suit jacket was hanging on the TARDIS door and he was reading a book the old fashioned way his attention never wavering from the pages. "You could just say 'I don't know'."

"Where would the fun be in that?" he frowned.

"Good book?"

"I'll let you know once I've read it."

"Cool. So how long will the TARDIS take until she's ready to go?"

The Doctor sighed and slipped his glasses to the end of his nose. "Why don't you just relax for a while, Captain?"

"Because I'm bored, and the girls are off exploring."

"They are?" The Time Lord looked round the beach and could just make them out in the distance. "Oh no," he groaned.

"Worried?"

"No, not really. Just last time Rose met an old friend they fought then suddenly were just laughing at me for no reason."

"Wana go spy?"

"I don't spy Jack. Besides, it's different this time. Rose isn't going to learn anything she doesn't already know."

"You don't sound too sure."

"I'm trying to think…. Nope can't think of anything she'd get upset about….oh hell!"  
"All coming back to you buddy?"

"Ohhhh, I'm going to have some explaining to do when Rose gets back."

"Ooo what did you do?" Jack was sitting upright now, eyes sparkling.

"Lots of things she'd slap me for."

"No change there then," the time agent teased.

"Not funny Jack."

XxXxX

"So how long have you been back?" Martha asked kicking a shell in the sand.

"A few weeks."

"He seems lighter."

Rose turned to look at the Doctor's friend. "What do you mean?"

"He always looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders but he doesn't now."

"I suppose he did have the weight of the world on his shoulders, still does when you think about it. Without him, who'd save the universe every other day?"

Martha nodded and looked out to sea. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"When you were with him, before I mean, when you were with him did he….do things that made you think he forgot you were there?"

"I suppose he must've at some point."

"So he never offered himself up as a sacrifice even if it meant you were stuck in a strange place by yourself?"

"Oh no he did that. Had to save some blonde in 17th century France once. Left me and Mickey stranded on this ship on outer space."

"But he wasn't likely to get killed."

"I suppose not. Why, what did he do?" Rose offered a small smile but it faded as she saw the seriousness on Martha's face.

"Doesn't matter. At least if you're with him he wont do it again."

"Do what?"

Martha just shook her head and looked back at the two men in the distance, lazing in the sun.

"Martha. What did he do?"

"Have you ever met the Daleks?"

"Killed the emperor."

"Oh, right. Well we met them in New York and….. Rose, he almost let them kill him, twice."

"That's the Doctor though, he does mad things like that but he always has a plan."

"Thing is though, I don't think he did. He wasn't scared, or bouncing with excitement. He just held his arms out and told them to kill him. Actually he was practically begging them, telling them to get it over with. It was like he'd lost the will to live." Martha watched Rose's eyes widen.

XxXxX


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack watched the Doctor's nervous gaze flick across the rock but he couldn't understand why a rock had made him so skittish. "Doc, you're not telling me the full story here and that's unsettling. You're scared of a piece of rock, you won't even touch it! Doesn't that seem like something you should explain?"

Rose didn't know what to say. She just stood staring back at the two figures by the big, blue box.

"He got better," Martha continued. "But you were always there, like a ghost or something, haunting him. I'd say one thing, something silly, not much meaning to anyone and he'd shut down."

"Yeah he does that. Never push when he's in that mood."

"So I noticed."

"Short end of his temper huh?" Rose smirked.

"He's scary when he's angry, his eyes go all black and his face hardens." She shuddered at the thought.

"I know the feeling. Still, he's not nearly that scary when he's bouncing around like a kid at Christmas."

"True, I guess you got to see a lot more of that than I did."

"You sound like you weren't happy travelling with him."

"Oh I was, but it never felt like he really wanted me along. The first few trips I was just a passenger and I kind of bullied him into letting me stay as anything else. I think he thought if he asked me to stay it would be like I was replacing you. One of the first things he said to me the minute I stepped into the TARDIS was 'you're not replacing her.' Well and truly let me where I stood let me tell you."

"He can be a bit blunt at times. A mass of contradictions our Doctor."

"Your Doctor," Martha corrected. "He's always been yours Rose; no one would ever come close for him."

"Same here." Rose smiled softly. "God you must have hated me," she chuckled as they continued down the beach.

"Sometimes," Martha admitted, "when he'd think about you. Or he'd say 'Rose would know what to do. She'd be able to say the right thing.' He'd look so sad, like his heart was breaking each time."

Rose winced. "I think he was probably remembering me through rose tinted glasses there! I'm not that smart. He spent most of our first journeys together referring to us as stupid apes. 'Course he was a grumpy northern bloke back then and had just survived the war." Rose frowned suddenly. "Now what is a building like that doing on the edge of a beach? There's nothing else around for miles."

"I'm not even sure we're on Earth," Martha said looking at Rose. The girls nodded at each other as they decided to take a closer look.

XxXxX

"Hey Doc, check this out," Jack called excitedly.

The Doctor sighed dramatically. "So much for relaxing on a beach". He gave up reading the conventional way; Jack was never going to leave him in peace to read, so he flicked through to the end, his eyes taking in every word in a ridiculously short space of time.

Standing and stretching he made his way down towards the sea shore where Jack was sat, poking at the sand. "What?"

"Check it out," Jack picked up the piece of rock and waved his hand over it, smiling as it shimmered from blue to purple. "I've never seen that happen before. Does it give you any clue as to where we are?"

When the Doctor didn't answer Jack looked up at him. He was unnaturally pale, his eyes wide.

"Doc? What is it?"

"Jack, do me a favour and put it down."

"What?"

"Jack, just put it down."

"Wait, am I going to get done by some alien tribe for stealing some sacred stone?"  
"Does it look like a sacred stone?!" the Doctor snapped.

"What is wrong with you?" Jack stood, holding the stone out to the time lord. He was stunned to watch the alien almost leap away from him.

"I need to get the TARDIS running and out of here."

Jack watched the Doctor's nervous gaze flick across the rock but he couldn't understand why a rock had made him so skittish. "Doc, you're not telling me the full story here and that's unsettling. You're scared of a piece of rock, you won't even touch it! Doesn't that seem like something you should explain?"

The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair and scratched the back of his neck, stuffing his other hand in his trouser pocket. Sighing he reached out and touched his shaking fingertips to the rock and closed his eyes. A million images flashed through his head causing him to rip his hand back, his fingertips burning.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"Home."

XxXxX

"What is this place?" Martha breathed, weaving her way through plastic sheets that were hanging from the ceiling.

"This has a horribly familiar feel to it," Rose complained, suppressing a shiver. "Martha stop, listen. You hear that?"

The girl nodded, it was like a drilling sound and when it stopped it was replaced with a clanging.

"Drilling and clanging never usually indicates a good thing does it?"

"Not even when it's the Doctor under the control panel." Rose squinted into the dark corners.

"Yeah, even then there's swearing and pain."

The girls looked at each other and had to work hard to suppress their giggles.

Rose's eyes finally landed on a familiar sight that made her blood run cold.

"Oh god," she breathed, moving round Martha to get a better look,

"Rose? What is it?" Martha spun on the spot and almost fell over when she saw what Rose was looking at. "Is that…..?"

"One of the first batches. I've seen them before. Once. We need to get out of here and back to the TARDIS."

"Shouldn't we find out what's going on?"

"It sounds like someone's trying to rebuild them if you ask me; and that is never good."


	4. Chapter 4

"Home?"

The Doctor nodded, burying his hands deeper in his pockets, slowly moving away from the time agent, his eyes never leaving the rock. As he got to the TARDIS doors he paused and looked up at Jack.

"That's what's left of home." Without another word the Doctor retreated into the safety of the TARDIS.

Jack was about to follow when he heard the girls yelling at him as they ran across the sand.

"Where's the Doctor going?" Martha gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked noting the look on Jack's face.

Jack held out the rock to her, "you better go talk to him. I…." He shook his head.

"Right, Martha, fill Jack in and if you go in there be careful!"

XxXxX

"Doctor?" Rose called peering in each room as she passed, fingering the rock in her pocket. It began to make her fingers tingle as she went deeper into the TARDIS.

She peered into the garden room. She loved that room, the grass was usually green and lush the trees were always in full leaf, birds and butterflies seemed to fly across the sky. She knew it was all a computer simulation but it looked and felt so real it was like being in a garden back on earth.

Today however the surroundings were more than a little different. The grass beneath her feet was a deep red colour and the trees had silver leaves. There were snow-capped mountains in the distance that sparkled against the orange sky. Rose sighed as she saw a familiar form lying in the hammock.

"So this is where you've been hiding," Rose called, softly announcing her presence as she moved beside him. "This is different for you." She smoothed his hair away from his forehead and watched his face. Even with his eyes closed he looked troubled. "So what's so special about this rock?"

The Doctor's eyes snapped open as she pulled the item out of her pocket. He panicked so hard he flipped the hammock over and he ended up sprawled on the grass, scrabbling away from her.

Rose frowned at him then looked down at the rock as it shimmered.

"What is it?"

"It's a rock, Rose. A piece of rock."

"So why did Jack hand it to me and why are you practically running away from it?"

"We can use it to recharge the TARDIS quicker. Then we can get as far away from here as possible."

"It will help the TARDIS?"

"Yes. Now if you wouldn't mind leaving it way over there if you're staying." He waved his arm towards the door, slowly getting to his feet.

Rose tossed the rock away and planted her hands on her hips as the Doctor stood, leaned heavily against a tree and visibly relaxed.

"What is wrong with you? Anybody would think the stone had teeth or something."

He raised his hand up to show her his fingers, they were red raw. "I touched it earlier."

Rose reached out to inspect his fingers more closely. "But how, I don't understand. It didn't hurt me or Jack, it just shimmered."

"It's Gallifrey. Well, it's a bit of what's left of Gallifrey. We must be in a neighbouring galaxy."

"But why did it hurt you? It's just stone."

"It's more than that, it's part of the planet itself and planets have memory. When I touched it images flashed through my head."

"The war?"

The Doctor nodded. "The energy that radiated burnt me. It's like it's still alive and knows I tried to kill it. But it can help re-power the TARDIS."

"But if the images weren't good ones won't that hurt the TARDIS?"

"No, the TARDIS is healed; she just needs to gain her strength back. The power that rock gives off will help some. It'll help even more if I charge it up a bit."

"Why don't I like the sound of that?"

He offered her a crooked smile and took her hand. "It'll be fine. Just don't let it touch me until we get to the control room. Where are the other two by the way?"

"Ah, now that's what we came to tell you before you disappeared…"

XxXxX

The Doctor took off at a sprint across the beach yelling at Martha and Jack, Rose following close behind.

Jack stopped and looked round.

"I hope you weren't going in there unarmed, Captain," the Doctor gasped as he finally reached them, clutching at his sides.

Jack reached under his shirt and pulled out his pistol.

"Hang on, we're relaxing on a beach and you're still carrying your pistol?" Rose asked.

"What's that going to do? Except maybe create a few dents," the Doctor huffed.

"Just as well you've got your screwdriver then isn't it?" Jack told him. "See I'm not the only one armed."

"A Sonic Screwdriver is hardly a weapon. It's a tool."

"My pistol is a tool; I use it to kill things. Ever heard the expression 'tooled up'? Exactly, shall we?"

The Doctor took Rose's hand and kept her behind him as they entered the building.

Martha couldn't help the twinge of jealousy that sprang up in her stomach. Part of her wanted to scream. This wasn't the Doctor she knew, he wasn't that protective or particularly tactile with anything, except maybe the TARDIS and here he was, large as life gripping onto Rose's hand and protecting her from unknown danger as if it was the most natural thing in the world. If she was honest she'd always hoped he'd come to her for help or comfort when he'd got to know her better, but he never had. He just kept it all bottled up. She'd watched him from the door way lost in thought as a few stray tears fell down his face and he'd catch himself, wipe them away and carry on with the day. But he never crumbled, not once. She'd seen him close to tears plenty of times but never actually cry. She wondered if Rose had seen it but dismissed the thought as it only served to fuel the bubble of jealousy that was brewing.

Martha felt guilty as soon as she thought it but she couldn't help but wonder what it was about Rose Tyler that captured the Doctor. She was nothing special, no education to speak of, no incredible intelligence that could keep him talking for hours.

Martha mentally kicked herself at how petty and nasty that sounded.  
It was true Rose seemed like a nice girl but still she was nothing special.

"You okay?" Rose's hushed voice reached her ear. "You have a funny look on your face."

"I'm fine," she smiled tightly.

"No, no, no, no, no, no," the Doctor hissed, rushing over to the metal suits.

Looking around there were hundreds of them, possibly thousands all standing to attention but completely lifeless.

"These things haunted me for years. These are the originals from Mondas."

"Okay you're going to have to fill in the blanks here Doc," Jack told him, making sure Martha was close.

Looking around to make sure they weren't being observed the Doctor ushered them all into a dark corner.

"During the prehistoric era Earth had a twin planet, Mondas. It got knocked out of the solar orbit and drifted off into deep space. The Mondasians were ridiculously advanced compared to Earth and the need for survival in deep space led them to send out space crafts to colonise other worlds. On these worlds they built huge tombs where they could put themselves in suspended animation whenever necessary.

Meanwhile, back on Mondas, the Mondasians were dying out and in order to survive they replaced most of their bodies with Cybernetic parts. They removed most of their emotions to save them from insanity and installed a drive propulsion system so they could actually drive their planet through space. Pure genius!"

"Cybermen," Jack nodded, now understanding the need for the Doctor's rambling.

"Correct. Except now the Cybers began to outlive and outnumber what was left of the original Mondasians and they started conquering worlds and converting any organic matter they find into Cyber-beings, continuing their new race; cold and calculating and incredibly clever. No thought past how to get the job done, no matter what it takes. Unlike their modern day counterparts however they used to show emotion all be it fleetingly, but I definitely angered them and they were definitely smug gits when they wanted to be. And that made them even more dangerous. These chaps seem to be just the suits but ….." He stepped towards one of the suits holding out his sonic screwdriver. Buzzing it against the breast plate, the Doctor pulled some of the metal away and almost gagged at the smell.

"Woah! Is that….?" Jack stepped forward, holding his hand over his mouth and nose.

"What's left of whatever used to inhabit this planet."

"So how come they're not moving?" Rose asked, wrinkling her nose as she poked at the shrivelled material. "Eugh, it feels like rubber."

The Doctor leaned in closer, pulling his glasses from his trousers pocket and slipped them on.

"If you even think about licking that you're on your own tonight," Rose warned.

"I wasn't going to lick it, although it does remind me of something edible, just can't think what."

"Everything reminds you of something edible; it's the whole oral fixation."

He straightened and looked at her, "for the millionth time, I do not have an oral fixation."

"Oh really? You really want to argue that with me?" Rose raised an eyebrow and gave him the same look she did when she was about to get her own way. The one that said 'I'm gona eat you alive.'

He swallowed hard and desperately hoped he wasn't blushing as hard as he thought he was before silently turning back to the droid. "The organic matter has completely perished. It's no use what-so-ever. Question is; why are they all here?"

"And who's playing around with them?" Martha pointed out. "When we were here before we heard noises, drills and clanging."

The Doctor visibly paled, eyes darting around the warehouse. If anyone ever succeeded in reanimating the organic matter….he shuddered at the thought. "Well it's all silent now."

"Not quite, something's slithering around in here, Doc," Jack said, pulling out his weapon.

The group all looked around them, gazes flicking from floor to ceiling, wall to wall.

"Everyone stick together and don't drop your guard," Jack hissed, pulling Martha behind him.

"What is it?" she asked, worry plain in her voice.

"No idea, I just heard it."

"Over there," Rose whispered in the Doctor's ear as she stood behind him, pointing over his shoulder ahead of him.

He frowned, focussing his eyes in the dim light and he caught the flash of something, almost in the corner of his eye. "Anybody wearing any gold they're not particularly fond of?"

"What?" Martha, Jack and Rose chorused.

"Never mind." He started to rummage in his pockets, pulling out an array of weird and wonderful things. "Come on, come on. I've got to have something…. Oo my yo-yo, been looking for that for months! Hold that will ya Rose?" He continued to rummage before almost yelping with delight as he pulled out a gold chain.

The creature was venturing closer and closer.

"What is it? A snake?" Rose asked.

"Worse, it's a Cybermat."

"What's that when it's at home? And what are you doing?" Martha questioned.

"A form of metallic life, which depending on the model; could be deadly. And I'm trying to disintegrate this gold into dust." He willed the sonic screwdriver to work faster while slowly stepping back encouraging the others top do the same. "Rose, remind me to add a super fast setting to this thing if we get out of here."

"I've been telling you to do that since day one!" she hissed.

"Aha! Better look away, if this gets in your eyes it's going to hurt." The Doctor stepped forward toward the Cybermat.

They began circling each other like a pair of hunters sparring for territory. Lifting his hand up the Doctor opened it palm up, the gold dust glittering in what little light there was.

"Come on, that's it, a little closer. I won't hurt you." He crouched and waited for the creature to make its move. He knew it would take advantage of the Doctor's vulnerable stance any second.

Rose, Jack and Martha watched through their fingers all with bated breath as the creature and the Doctor settled at stalemate for what seemed like hours.

Suddenly the banging resumed making everyone jump including the Cybermat.

Rose and Martha yelled out as the creature launched itself at the Doctor but he was ready for it. Blowing on his hand the gold dust flew straight at his attacker causing it to drop to the ground, shuddering and twitching.

"It's dead," the Doctor declared and the others moved towards him.

"It looks like a giant version of one of those things I find in my bathroom," Martha said crouching down to get a better look.

"A Silverfish," the Doctor corrected.

"Yeah that's the one, only it's slightly more snakelike."

Pointing his sonic screwdriver at it he scanned it up and down. "Yup, dead as a dodo. And poisonous. Whew am I glad I didn't touch it."

"It's it still poisonous?"

"Not now, it can't bite or sap brain energy." Reaching down he broke off some of the creature's shell.

"What's it made of? The inside I mean." Rose wrinkled her nose at the pink substance that was protruding.

"Children."

"What?" Jack wasn't sure head heard right.

"When a Cyber conversion is launched they gather up the occupants in the immediate area first, men, woman and children, like they did in London. Children's organs are too small to be put into a Cyber suit so they created these. They didn't like to waste useful meat," the sentence left a bad taste in the back of his throat.

"So that was once a child?" Martha asked.

"Parts of it were. Just like the organic matter in these suits were once adults. What's left of the kid's parents are probably in this room."

"Would they have known? The Cybermats, would they have know what had happened."

The Doctor shook his head. "No more than the Cybers can remember who they are. Cybermats were pets and weapons. There's no need for any kind of personality. Right lets meet our wana-be creator shall we?"

XxXxX


	5. Chapter 5

"Well, well, well. Isn't this a lovely little locker of lunacy," the Doctor quipped stepping through the plastic sheeting into a small square room.

"Who are you?" A little portly man looked up at the intruders.

"I'm the Doctor; this is Jack, Rose and Martha. And you are?"

"Kalos. I'm the last."

"Have you noticed how there seem to be a lot of beings claiming to be 'the last' these days?" Jack whispered in Rose's ear causing her to stifle a giggle.

"Last what?" the Doctor continued, seemingly not to hear the Time Agent's aside.

"Cryon."

"This is Telos?" the Doctor glanced around him not quite able to believe what the man was saying. "That's not possible. We destroyed them….." the Doctor hesitated, "Wait what year is this?"

"2461."

"No, no, no, no. This is wrong, it's all wrong."

"What is?" Jack asked.

"Cryon's should be running all over this planet. I sealed the Cybers in their tombs. Where's everyone else?"

"There is no one else," Kalos told him.

"What happened to them?"

"Look around you, they're all here."

"But they can't be! I helped give you your planet back. They're not meant to be a threat for another century! Even then we still win!"

"I don't get it, what are you talking about?" Rose asked, grabbing Martha's hand.

"In the 25th century a group of archaeologists came to Telos thinking it was the Cybermen's home planet. They were hoping to find some great artefact or something. They found the tombs and opened them, which brought the Cybers out of hibernation and they tried to make alliance with them."

"Bad move," Rose grumbled.

"Exactly. The Cybers decided to convert everyone on the party as the start of a big expansion. Luckily I was here with a few friends and we helped some escape and resealed the tombs. Then about a century later I ended up materialising _inside_ the tombs completely by accident. I was captured and met Flast,"

"You knew Flast?"

"Well I haven't met him yet according to your timeline. Wait what do you mean _knew_?"

"Flast was converted."

"But he can't have been. He and I broke free and formed a rebellion destroying the Cyber-controller. He can't be dead yet! None of this makes any sense. It's like someone's messed with the timelines but not. If the timelines had been rewritten I wouldn't remember any of it but I do clear as day."

"So if the Doc's version hasn't happened yet, what's yours?" Jack asked as the Doctor paced around the room, tugging at his hair.

"The Cybers broke free not long after the archaeologists escaped and started converting people, but not all the conversions were completed so they put them into storage."

"Not completed?"

"They took the brains and put them in the suits but didn't animate them. They said they were preserving them for the 'final stage' but it never came."

"What happened?"

Kalos shrugged. "As time went on they went off on more explorations and fewer and fewer came back."

"Cybers aren't stupid, why didn't they finish their work? And why are you trying to resurrect them?" the Doctor demanded.

"Because I'm alone in the world and I have a way out. I could resurrect my family; I could bring life back to this planet. There are thousands of these suits in the caverns underground. Useless to anyone else."

"But they overran your world. Why would you want them walking with you?"  
"Because they would be my family."

"That's just it, don't you see? They won't be. The being that they take over is lost. There is nothing of them left inside unless the conversion itself is incomplete and the inhibitor chip doesn't activate. Even if by some miracle part of them remained it would be overrun by the robot eventually. You could unleash one of the universe's most dangerous assassins out into space leaving them free to destroy world after world."

"That won't happen."

"How do you know? Have you seen it? Have you seen the level of destruction they can cause? You were lucky; they had a use for your planet. They needed you. Other planets won't be that lucky, they will go in and destroy everything that defines them, destroy anything that isn't made of metal."

"How do you know?" the man pleaded with a desperation the Doctor recognised.

"Because I've seen it happen more than once, so have you, to your own planet! You're looking at what they do, this is just a small part of it! It destroys without regard for anything. You're not the only one to be alone. There are thousands of beings out there without a home or family and friends. They don't go about trying to reanimate killing machines."

"You wouldn't understand," Kalos turned back to the bench and picked up a type of welding iron. "How could you? You have friends."

"I have no real home, no actual family. I'm the last of my kind too. And I know the pain that goes with that but I'm not about to go and take the bits of my home that are floating about in space and try and resurrect them. Rassilion knows they'd be more useful than this lot but they'd also be more than a little miffed."

Kalos' head snapped round at the word Rassilion. "You're Gallifreyan. How can that be?"

"I got lucky," the Doctor stated looking as though he thought himself far from lucky. "Don't do this. Don't make me stop you."

"I'm afraid you'll have to Doctor. Because if I stop I have nothing else in my life. I can't go back to having nothing and no hope."

The two men locked eyes and said nothing for a long time. Jack, Martha and Rose were becoming uncomfortable.

"You've got 'til tomorrow. I can help you but not to rebuild them." Taking Rose's hand the Doctor stalked out of the workshop before anyone could say another word.

XxXxX

Martha watched covertly as Rose curled into the Doctor on the sofa. There was not a flicker of a reaction across his face, he just lifted his arm and wrapped it round her shoulders, pulling her closer into him.

Rose's lips tweaked into a whisper of a smile as she nuzzled into his chest and rested one of her hands over one of his hearts.

"So Doc, what do we do about the warehouse?" Jack called quietly, not wanting to disturb Rose but feeling the need to ask now rather than later.

The Doctor regarded him and Martha for a moment before he spoke. "We need to destroy them. If he manages to re-animate any of them it could spell disaster. You saw what happened at Canary Wharf, and the original Cybers were far more cunning than the lot you're accustomed too. We can't risk them being released. I just wish I knew how events have become so askew."

"Will destroying the place create more trouble?"

"It can't create more trouble than Cybers roaming the universe. Someone has already undone some of my work and the universe is still standing which means they knew what they were doing. My first visit stands but my second now can't happen which means there is a possibility that the Cyber-Controller is still in this planet in suspended animation. I have to set things back on the right course. Only problem is that I'm supposed to visit here four lifetimes ago, get into trouble, cause mischief and destroy the controller. Which means I'm going to have to do some serious time weaving to make sure we all get to where we are now, having done everything we've already done otherwise….."

"Otherwise the universe implodes? A bit like my brain was about to during that," Jack said.

"A little melodramatic but ultimately not unheard of."

MArtah sat quietly listening trying to make sense of what the Doctor was telling them. She wished she was Rose right now, curled up, happy and blissfully unaware of the confusion the Doctor was spreading.

"Okay, just because I'm not a Time Lord and my brains hurting let me try and straighten this out. Someone has altered the time line so that you can't visit there in your…." Jack counted backward in his head "sixth body?"

"Right."

"Which means you can't lead a rebellion and kill off the bad guys?"

"Right again."

"So whoever altered it was really really smart because you still remember it and there's been no ripple effect to change your timeline which in turn would change ours. So we're all still here, remembering everything we do but you've got to weave time why?"

"Because in a century on this planet I'm meant to arrive and stop this troop of Cybers. If I don't do that then my timeline changes which could alter the course of my life, and yours and Martha's and Rose's until everything has irreversibly changed. It's like rewriting a scene of a story. You know all the characters have to end up in one place but you have to cut out one of the events and still get the characters to the same place at the same time without changing the entire story."

"So why can something that _will_ happen in a hundred years time effect you later but not now?"

"Because it hasn't happened yet on the planet's timeline the minute we leave it could cause trouble."

"What about the guy that's trying to get them going?" Martha asked, not liking the sound of this one bit.

"I'll give him an option; it's up to him what he decides. I can't make people's decisions for them Martha, I can only guide them. In the end we're all responsible for our own lives, no matter where they take us." He absently pressed his lips to Rose's hair and Martha felt her jaw clench.

"But first I need to get the TARDIS back to full working order so we can make a quick get away." He shifted slightly in his seat causing Rose to stir. "Sorry sweetheart. I need that piece of rock," he murmured softly.

"S'okay, I wasn't sleeping. I was listening to you do the 'here comes the science' bit. I almost understood it too! What do we need to do?"

"I just need you to take the rock to the control room. Then I'm on my own."

XxXxX

Rose placed the rock exactly where the Doctor told her to.

"You can leave. I'll be fine," he assured them.

No one moved, not believing him for an instant.

"I saw what happened when you touched that thing, there's no way we're going anywhere," Jack told him matter-of-factly.

"You don't need to see this."

"Maybe not but we're not leaving you on your own," Rose insisted, arms folded defiantly across her chest.

The Doctor took hold of her shoulders, eyes boring into hers. "Rose. I have to do this and I can't do it if I'm worrying about you being here. Please, just this once, do as I ask."

She watched his gaze flicker across her face.

' _Please.'_ His voice pleaded in her mind.

' _Is this going to hurt you?'_

' _I have no idea, probably.'_

' _I've seen you hurt before.'_ She reasoned.

' _I know, you all have but this is different, this is my home, my history. I have to do this alone.'_

' _At least let me wait outside in the corridor.'_

' _I can't control where you go Rose but it will be easier of you're not standing here. Take Martha elsewhere. Please?'_

Rose nodded and the Doctor offered her a dazzling smile.

"What just happened?" Martha asked.

"Rose just promised, for once to do as she's told," the Doctor explained.

"When?"

"They had a mini conversation," Jack told her. "We three can communicate telepathically courtesy of the time vortex. Come on, I'll explain it to you while you amuse me with stories of this one's escapades." He took Martha's hand and led her from the room nodding to the Doctor.

"What…..?" Rose asked watching the time agent lead the poor girl down the corridor.

"I asked him to take her elsewhere."

"I thought you asked me."

"I asked you both. Now go on. Get off with you."

Rose nodded and gazed at him for a moment. "Be careful," she said finally before pressing a lingering kiss to his lips.

"Always."

"Well that's a lie!" she smiled and turned to leave.

The Doctor took a deep breath and steeled himself, stepping closer to the control panel. He glared at the stone before reaching out a shaky hand to touch the stone.

XxXxX

Rose paced the living room as Jack filled Martha in on the time vortex.

"He'll be okay," Martha said as Rose passed them and sighed for the hundredth time. They'd left him alone twenty minutes ago and so far everything had been quiet but Rose still fretted.

"Rose, sit down. You're wearing a hole in the floor and I don't think the TARDIS will take kindly to it," Jack told her.

She stopped and looked at them. Nodding she sat and curled up on the sofa, resting her head on the arm.

"God this is boring," the time agent declared.

"Tell me about it," Martha moaned.

"Uh, can anyone hear voices?"

"Nope."

"Rose, what about you?"

"Don't close your eyes," Rose told him jumping to her feet and running to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To check on him."

"What did she mean, 'don't close your eyes'?" Martha asked.

"One way to find out." Jack took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

There were thousands of people running and screaming, lasers falling from the sky blowing things up. Bodies covered the ground as buildings fell and smoke and dust filled the air. There was an almighty explosion and a blinding light filled the air.

Jack snapped his eyes open and swallowed hard.

"Are you alright?" Martha was stood in front of him, bending to look into his face.

"Be glad you can't see the Doctor's thoughts," he said hoarsely willing the images to go, wishing he hadn't seen them and didn't know the truth.

XxXxX

Rose ran through the corridor, the sounds of distant screaming echoing in her ears. The run seemed endless but as she finally made it to the control room she froze.

The Doctor was hunched over the panel, still gripping the rock, tears rolling down his face. Eventually he gave in and began screaming at the top of his lungs.

Without thinking she ran to his side and wrapped her arms round his torso.

"Help me," he gasped between screams.

XxXxX

Jack and Martha locked eyes as screams filtered down the corridor.

"I heard _that_ scream, that was the Doctor," Martha declared jumping from her seat. She ran down the hall, Jack following hot on her heels.

XxXxX

The hum of the TARDIS sounded normal enough and Rose wondered how much longer he would have to endure the obvious anguish and pain that was coursing through him.

His body was trembling in her arms so she tightened her grip on him.

"What do I do?" she asked.

The Doctor tried to speak but could only scream again as another wave of pictures and pain wracked through him.

Looking up at the control panel Rose eyed his hand and made her decision.

XxXxX


	6. Chapter 6

Jack and Martha burst into the control room.

"Doc?"

"Jack, help me. We need to get him away from the control panel," Rose told him.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Check the monitor; see if you can figure out whether it's safe to disconnect him."

"Just once I wish the Doc would put this thing in English," Jack moaned as his gaze flicked across the monitor.

"Doctor?" Rose whispered in his ear but he didn't respond. It was as if he didn't even know she was there anymore, he just carried on screaming.

Martha stood at the door, rooted to the spot feeling more useless than ever. There was no monster trying to infect him or a piece of machinery going wrong. Martha wasn't sure what was happening but she knew Jack and Rose knew and that made her feel really out of place. Once upon a time she would have been there in an instant, fixing what ever was wrong with him, only this time she didn't know what to do. She'd seen him in pain before, many times in fact but this was different, she'd never seen him this distraught.

"Yes!" Jack yelped. "Good girl!"

"What? What is it?" Rose called, desperately holding onto the Doctor as he tried to thrash around in her arms.

"The TARDIS is speaking in English! Right keep a tight hold on him; I'm gona try to release his grip."

Rose nodded.

Jack struggled with the Doctor's fingers, prising them one by one from the rock. As he released the last finger the Doctor's legs gave way and he ended up in a tangled heap on the floor, taking Rose with him.

She tightened her arms round him and whispered reassurance in his ear as his screams sub-sided into sobs and frantic gasps for air.

"It's okay," she hushed. "We're here. It's over now." Rocking him from side to side she pressed her lips to his head and looked up at Jack. He nodded.

"Martha; how 'bout you and I check up on Doctor Frankenstien?" he called softly shaking her from her reverie.

"Hmm? Oh yeah sure. Are you going to be okay?" she asked Rose.

"I've got him. Just be careful. First sign of anything I want to know or we'll never hear the end of it from him."

"Sure thing." Jack tapped his wrist computer. "You just get him straight."

XxXxX

"What just happened?" Martha asked finally as they slowly walked across the beach towards the warehouse.

"The rock came from the Doctor's home. A piece of space debris that means nothing to anyone else can unsettle the deepest memories and darkest parts of others. You know about the Time war?"

Martha nodded.

"Until recently the Doctor kept the truth of it to himself. He ended it Martha. He destroyed his planet and everything on it to save the rest of the universe."

She stared at him wide eyed. "How do you….?"

"I just saw it, when I closed my eyes. I knew about the war, I knew how it ended, I just didn't realise that he'd…. I mean the signs were there, comments that were made but I'd never put it all together before."

"Does Rose know?"

He shrugged, "I suppose she must, he's all she's got now. He'd have told her everything by now. Rose isn't exactly the type of person you can deny anything to. Especially for him. He rarely ever says no to her."

"He's all she's got? What about her mother and her friends?"

"Jackie and Mickey are in the other universe. Rose fell through the rift without them. She's alone now."

"Just like him," she sighed. "I guess they have more in common than I thought."

Jack looked at her and saw a flicker of something across her face that he thought might be jealousy.

"Rough time travelling with him?"

"Sometimes. He just missed her too much and I couldn't fill the gap."

XxXxX

Rose continued to rock him rubbing his back trying to calm him. "Sssh Doctor. It's okay. You're safe," she said over and over, waiting for him to cry himself out. After a while his sobs subsided and Rose shifted so she could look at him.

"Come on, lets go somewhere more comfortable," she told him and watched as he took a few shuddering breaths, trying to fill his lungs and nodded. "And a cup of tea too." She smiled at him as he finally made eye contact and they stood, all be it rather shakily as the Doctor's legs had turned to jelly.

"Are you going to be able to make it to the living room?"

With a small nod the Doctor gestured for her to lead the way.

XxXxX

"The thing you have to remember 'bout those two is that he was on his own after the war until he landed on Rose Tyler's doorstep. And from what I saw he was a miserable git at times, and I mean seriously surly not like he is now. Sure he has his moments now but Rose seemed to give him a reason to carry on saving your daft planet no matter how stupid you humans can be."

"Us humans? What does that make you?"

"Honey I'm a mixture of everything. I'm from the 51st century and humans had left earth to live on other planets long ago. They mated and merged with other life."

"You make it sound so clinical."

"Well you gota preserve life somehow. Sex isn't always about emotion Martha. Sometimes it's about basic need."

"But isn't it better if there are feelings?"

"Sure, but if you wait 'til you found your one person you might find that you'll always be alone. And there's nothing worse than being alone in the universe."

XxXxX

Rose sat on the sofa next to the Doctor and handed him a mug of tea. She said nothing, knowing that he would talk when he was ready; she just reached up with one hand and played with the hair on the back of his head.

He sighed and leant back into her touch, allowing his eyes to drift close for a few moments, feeling all the tension to drift away.

She watched as he rolled his head to look at her, his eyes red and watery, his freckled face ever-so slightly blotchy from his tears and he offered her a whisper of a smile.

"Better?" she said, nodding to his mug.

"Thank you. For coming back," he rasped, his lungs ached from trying to suck in air in the moments before.

"For not listening to you, you mean."

His smile grew, "you did listen; you left. You just happened to come back. Good thing too."

"Well I couldn't leave you alone with that," she shrugged.

"How did you know?"

"I could hear it. Then I closed my eyes and I could see it. Martha couldn't hear any screams but Jack could. That's when I realised that it must be coming from you."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not like you projected it into my head."

"Maybe I did. Without realising."

"Well then you didn't _intend_ to project it into my head. How's your hand?"

He held it up to inspect it. "Sore," he decided and Rose giggled.

"Well I'd kiss it better but I think it might hurt more."

"Kiss me better then."

"You are so cheesy sometimes," she shook her head before pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Well, I don't often get you to myself."

"So getting hurt is to get me all to yourself? It's not that you've got a death wish or anything then," Rose's expression had lost its humour, now she looked concerned and sad.

XxXxX

Jack and Martha had done the rounds and found nothing immediately worrying. The old man that was working there had apparently left for the evening, locking up behind him.

The pair had contemplated breaking in but they decided that might be asking for trouble and with the Doctor seemingly incapacitated for a while, trouble might not be the best way to go. So they made their way back to the TARDIS, aiming to lay low until the Doctor was feeling better. They hadn't intended to hear what was being said or stay around to hear more but they did. Feeling like they were rooted to the spot Martha and Jack found they couldn't move past the living room door.

XxXxX


	7. Chapter 7

"What?"

"I've been talking to Martha. You _begged_ the Daleks to kill you even though Martha would have been left on her own," her voice cracked slightly at the thought of him offering himself up. "If they had killed you I would have fallen through the rift and been alone. I spent months crying over you, mourning for you, trying to fill the hole where you used to be and you just wanted to curl up and die."

The Doctor looked at her for a while trying to piece together the explanation she was waiting for. Taking a deep breath he silently cursed Martha.

"When I met you I was lost. I'd failed in saving my world and for the first time in any of my lives I'd lost faith. In myself and the universe. For the first time in my long and stupid existence I was unsure of myself, blundering around the universe fixing one mess after another, most of it my doing but I was never sure if I was doing the right thing. And then there you were, in that basement yelling at those shop dummies to stop messing around. I took your hand and told you to run and without question you did. You stood in that lift and decided they must be a bunch of students and from that moment I knew I liked you. No screams, no mindless panic, just straight forward thinking, even if you were wrong." He offered a small smile before he continued. "You were so straight forward,"

"And you were rude. Called me a bonehead!"

"I also drank coffee instead of tea, had big ears and almost no hair. You stepped onto the TARDIS looked around and knew what I was. I asked you if it was alright and you said 'yes'. Simple as that, no fear, nothing. Just that one little word. You saved the world in that 24 hours and my life in more ways than you can ever know. You were my salvation Rose Tyler. You made me happy; you made me embrace life again. When I lost you it was like the time war all over again. There was this huge hole and nothing made it better." He stood and stalked around the room, running his fingers through his hair. "I… it was like I didn't care what happened anymore. I had to keep the earth safe because I knew you'd want me to, it was you that kept me fighting without even being here but I didn't care if I actually lived because without you it all seemed pointless. So if I'd died doing it, it wouldn't have mattered, not to me. I felt every one of my 900 years and another few centuries on top. I was so angry and bitter and lonely and all I really wanted was to see you. To hold your hand. To run to your room to tell you something you wouldn't care about just so I could make you laugh. But I couldn't and I was lost again with no one to find me." A stray tear slipped down his cheek but he made no move to wipe it away.

Rose stood and crossed over to him wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, holding him close.

"I didn't realise," she whispered. "You never said, but I'm glad I found you, both times." Pulling back she wiped the water from his cheek, noticing how tired he looked. The day had taken its toll. "Come on, let's chill out. Watch some t.v. We would have heard from Jack by now if there was any trouble and you can't do anything in this state."

XxXxX

Martha looked up at Jack. He seemed unsurprised by anything the Doctor had said but this was all new to Martha. Now she understood how Rose and the Doctor had become so close. But she couldn't help but wonder if a relationship based on his insecurities and her innocence would ever really last.

"Let's make some tea," he whispered guiding her away from the door.

When they returned the Doctor was stretched out on the sofa, head resting back on Rose's shoulder, arms wrapped round a cushion.

Rose was absently combing her fingers through his hair, watching some mindless drivel on t.v.

"Thought you could do with one of these," Jack smiled, handing her a mug.

"Is he asleep?" Martha asked.

Rose nodded and smiled softly.

"He actually sleeps?"

"And eats and drinks and farts," Jack said tiredly. "The Doctor is almost human. In fact judging by some of his antics he's more human than anyone realises." He winked at Rose and she blushed.

"He never slept when you were around then?" Rose asked her.

"Only if he was knocked unconscious." Martha rolled her eyes.

They all sniggered as the Doctor mumbled something and shifted in his sleep, holding the pillow tighter.

"Looks like he's dreaming about you, Rosie," Jack teased.

"Behave," she hissed, a smile tugging at her lips.

Martha shifted in her seat and kept her eyes fixed on a spot on the wall. She didn't want to be there right now, it was all a little too cosy for her. She wasn't used to seeing the Doctor this settled with anyone and it made her wonder where she had ever figured in his life. Here the three of them where; Jack, Rose and the Doctor acting all domestic as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Martha had never felt more out of place.

Her reverie was broken as a ripping sound silenced the friendly banter.

Her gaze flicked to the Doctor and found him pulling at the fabric of the cushion he was holding, tearing it to shreds, the insides flying all over the place.

"Rose," Jack was on his feet ready to help.

"It's okay, I've got it." She brushed her fingers through his hair and whispered in his ear.

Jack and Martha watched with fascination as the tension in the Doctor's arms ceased and his eyes flutter open.

Looking more than a little dazed he gazed round the room, blinking rapidly trying to focus.

"You okay there Doc?" Jack asked. "You look a little pale."

"Yeah I'm fine," he rasped then cleared his throat.

"Shame the same can't be said for the cushion," Martha said, watching a feather float through her eye line.

The Doctor's eyes widened and he suddenly sat upright, looking at the massacre. "Was that…..?" he looked at Rose.

"It's only a pillow," she told him, picking feather from his hair. "Go on, have a shower. I'll get rid if the mess."

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Like you meant to do it."

Running his fingers through his hair, the Doctor retreated from the room.

"What was that all about?" Jack asked finally.

Rose shrugged. "I guess he had a bad dream," she told him quietly. She didn't think the Doctor would want Martha to hear any of this.

The Time Agent raised his eyebrows expectantly, waiting for her to elaborate. Rose's gaze moved from Jack to Martha.

"I'll go and wash up," the girl said, gathering the tea cups and heading for the door.

"He has nightmares sometimes," Rose continued. "They used to happen more often before we all found each other again. He said he hadn't slept in nearly two years because when he did he always had the nightmares. He hasn't had one for a while. I thought maybe they'd stopped," she shrugged sadly. She bent down to pick up the shredded remnants of the cushion cover.

"Why didn't he say anything before?"

"I guess he was embarrassed. I don't know. That's why he didn't come to bed once the concussion wore off. There was nothing to keep him in a deep enough sleep to ward them off. That must've been a fairly tame one though."

"Tame? He was sweating, trembling and killed that cushion with no effort."

Rose looked at him intently. "Have you been in the library lately? Notice anything different?"

Jack looked at her oddly, his brain trying to conjure up the image of the room in his head. "Books," he said finally. "There are fewer books."

Rose nodded.

"So? What he's throwing books out in his sleep?"

"No. He destroys them. He rips them apart with his bare hands while he sleeps."

Martha held her breath as she stood outside. She hadn't intended on listening but she couldn't help it. The more time she spent on the TARDIS the less she felt she knew about the real Doctor and she didn't think anyone would actually tell her things like this. She knew one of them would exit soon so she moved as quickly as she could along the corridor, Rose's words ringing in her ears.

"What does he dream about?" Jack asked.

"Everything. Everything we've ever faced. He watches them night after night…..and they all end the same way. With me dead." Her tone gave nothing away as she moved to the door. "I'll get a hoover."

Jack stood stunned as Rose left him alone.

XxXxX


	8. Chapter 8

"Are you okay?" she asked looking down at him in the moonlight that shone through the glass ceiling above him. His hair was damp and messy from his shower; his arms were behind his head, his ankles crossed as he lay on his bed. He had a frown on his face and his eyes were tightly shut.

"Doctor?" Rose called again but he still didn't respond. Gingerly stepping closer she smiled as she saw the familiar white cable of his earphones trailing down his chest and disappearing inside his trouser pocket. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she waited for him to notice her.

"How long have you been standing there?" he asked, pulling the speakers from his ears.

"Not long. You okay?"

"Of course. You staying or just passing?" He held one of his arms out to the side as an invitation which Rose willingly took, stretching herself out beside him before rolling on to her side so she could see his face.

"So what happened this time?"

"Oh the usual. Chaos and mayhem." A whisper of a smile touched his lips as he turned his head to look at her. He could see the concern on her face. "It wasn't as bad as normal. They're better these days. I tend to wake up before they end."

"Maybe they'll stop completely one day." She stroked a hand down the side of his face and smiled softly. "You know what I noticed?"

She was changing the subject and he was grateful.

"Nope, why don't you tell me?" He smiled back.

"Well you and Jack always say that I have pouty lips but you know what? So do you."

"No I don't."

"Yeah, you do. Your bottom lip is permanently pouting. It's quite cute."

"I'm not cute. I'm rugged and manly."

Rose burst out laughing. "You're cute. You have dimples and everything."

"I do not have dimples!" He pursed his lips, causing his dimples to show.

"Have you ever looked in the mirror? You have them right now!"

The Doctor raised his eyebrow at her.

"Fine, don't believe me," she sighed. "So Time Lord, you figured what's going on?"

"Nope," he shrugged, looking back up at the sky.

"What is up with you? Normally you'd be going spare trying to figure it all out."

"The way out of this one is easy. I can just blow the lot sky high."

"Isn't it killing you not knowing how everything's changed without it changing in your mind though?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

He turned to look at her again, rolling onto his side and resting his head on his hands. "Because you're here. We always figure it out," he told her softly.

" _You_ always figure it out you mean."

"Never as quickly without you. Drove Martha mad. God I was awful to her sometimes. Didn't mean to be, didn't even know I was doing it half the time."

"What's she like? You know when I'm not here stealing your attention."

"Who? Martha? Oh she's feisty, smart. Very argumentative. I thought you'd have hated her to be honest." He smiled.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because you were quite alike in some respects but so different I thought you would've wanted to kill each other. Don't get me wrong, I'm very fond of Martha…."

"But?"

"But she isn't you. I drove her away in the end."

Rose watched his face, his gaze never wavering from hers as he spoke.

"So what did you two get up to?"

"Oh you know; fear, terror, lots of running. Something's never change," he grinned. "We had witches and killer scarecrows. And who can forget our old friends the Daleks. Thought I'd got all of them in the Time war but I was wrong. Then I thought you'd got them when you became bad wolf. Wrong again. Finally thought they were gone for good when we sucked them into the void" his voice trembled on the word 'void' "but they were waiting for me again Rose. They're always waiting; they always find a way to torment me. I lose everything and they end up winning one way or another."

Rose searched his eyes and saw a familiar sadness creeping in. "What was it Sarah Jane said? Everything has it's time. You'll find the way to get rid of every last one, for good."

"I'm not so sure. Sometimes I think they'll always be there, hiding in the shadows, waiting for me 'til the end of my days. I'll lose completely one day Rose."

"Don't say that. Don't ever say that. If they win it'll be the end of everything. There's no way they can outlive you. We won't let them."

He smiled at her softly, raising a hand to stroke her cheek. Rose caught it in hers and pressed a kiss to the palm before leaning forward and claiming his lips. She felt his hand trail round her waist and pull her towards him and she gladly complied. Pushing against him slightly until he was on his back, she levered herself and sat on top of him.

His fingers slipped under the hem of her top, stroking the soft skin on her back and he felt Rose shiver slightly.

"Rose, as much as I hate to say it," he squeaked as she nibbled on his neck "getting carried away right now isn't a good idea."

"I suppose you're right," Rose sighed, sitting up to look at him.

"See, now if Jack hadn't messed around with the control panel we wouldn't be stuck here right now with a job to do."

She smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. "You're right. So what do we do first?" She lay back down beside him resting her head on the Doctor's shoulder as he traced lazy circles through her shirt.

She could feel the Doctor chuckle as she shuddered slightly.

"First off, we get back to the control room, check for frazzled circuits and see how the power meter's doing. Then we deal with the Cybers."

"Do we have time?"

"We have to have. We need to be on the move quickly so we need a fully functioning TARDIS. Unfortunately I can't do any of it. Not with that rock still attached."

"Best get Jack to do some work then," Rose grinned, poking her tongue between her teeth.

"Don't think he'd like the way you said that," he teased, tapping her on the nose before sitting up. "Come on let's find the former con artist and put him to good use."

XxXxX

Laid out on a blanket, he pointed his sonic screwdriver up and drew it across the night sky leaving a blue trail that seemed to join the stars up like a dot to dot.

"And that one is draco the dragon."

"Oh you're just making these up now," Rose accused.

"I most certainly am not Rose Tyler. You have to use your imagination. You see that's the problem with youth of today. Well I say today, I mean your century. You spend all your time watching t.v instead of reading books, so your imagination dies long before it should."

Rose shuddered beside him.

"You cold?" He sat up and reached over her to grab the corner of the blanket, pulling it over her. She snuggled into it and closer to him.

"So what else is up there?" Martha asked sat on his other side.

"Well over there you have Pegasus and that one is Pisces and if you look really hard you can see Andromea just there."

"Isn't that a galaxy?"

"Yup. You know, there are about four visible from your planet just very few people pay attention?"

There was a loud buzz and a curse from inside the TARDIS.

"You okay in there Jack?" the Doctor called, not bothering to hide the laughter in his voice.

"Your ship is out to get me!" the Time Agent said, poking his head around the door.

"Oh so it's MY ship now is it? Funny earlier I could've sworn you were grousing that I'm too protective over OUR ship. Good word that; grousing. Quite satisfying. Grrrrrrousing." He rolled the word over his tongue.

"You know, you keep rolling your 'R's like that and I'm gona come out there and….."

"And what Jack?" Rose asked, catching her tongue between her teeth, grinning.

"I'm gona show you exactly what can be done with a rolling tongue!"

"Promises, promises." The Doctor smiled wolfishly at Rose and Martha, then jumped up and started running away from them as Jack darted out the TARDIS doors.

He didn't notice that Jack had stopped at the blanket and sat down in his spot, he just kept running.

"Athletic tyke isn't he?!" Jack smiled at the girls as they giggled.

"You don't know the half of it," Rose grinned causing more laughter.

He looked round and could just make out the Doctor's silhouette in the distance bent double, hands resting on his knees before he collapsed to the floor. "Think he's okay?"

Rose's laughter subsided at the look of concern on Jack's face. "Why shouldn't he be?"

"Well he still gets out of breath quicker these days. He's still smarting and healing. The outside might look good as new but the insides take longer to heal, specially with everything he went through during those first few days."

Rose shuddered at the memory of his torture. She looked back out at the fallen Doctor who hadn't moved at all.

"Come on." Jack stood reaching to help the girls up. "Let's go help the cripple."

XxXxX


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"900 years of time and space travel and I'm resorted to this," the Doctor panted.

"Oh stop your grousing and breathe in," Martha smirked pushing the inhaler back to his lips.

"It's only temporary Doc. You can't expect to suffer multiple electrocutions, being cut up, stitched back together and concussion without some after effects."

"I'm the Lord of Time, I shouldn't have to!"

"Oh stop being such a baby," Martha chided.

"One question though Doc. From what I've heard you're not exactly…. lazy so how come you don't have problems with lack of oxygen on those occasions."

"What are you talking about?" The Doctor took another breath from the inhaler and coughed.

"Well you and Rose…" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Is that all you think about?"

"Well, you two sound like you have such a good time…"

The Doctor reached up and slapped the back of Jack's head. "What are you doing listening?"

"Well I get lonely of a night so I wander." Jack looked at Martha and winked at her. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "So?"

"The TARDIS keeps the air in here at a certain consistency depending on the occupant's needs."

"Well then I want some of what you and Rose are getting 'cause you two have way more fun than me!"

If Martha didn't know better she'd say the Doctor was actually blushing, she couldn't remember ever seeing him blush before. Or half naked for that matter which he was now. His shirt had been pulled off the minute they'd sat him down on the table so Martha could attach the monitors to his chest. She couldn't help but look at the y-shaped scar that sprawled across his torso.

"What's up with him?" Rose asked entering the room, seeing the pink hue creeping up the Doctor's neck. She saw the look the Doctor was giving the Time Agent. "What did you say now?" she asked, slapping Jack's arm.

"Ow! You two must've have spent far too much time with your mum in the past. You're both turning into slappers."

This sentence only earned him more slaps and it took him a moment to figure out why. "That's not what I meant and you know it!"

"Oh we know; we just like slapping you!" Rose told him, passing the Doctor a glass of water.

"Kinky."

"Jack, you remember how we talked about how you sometimes take jokes too far? You're taking it too far," Rose told him playfully.

"And you're raising the Doctor's blood pressure," Martha said, watching the readings go berserk.

"I think that's just Rose's…. right, too far, gotcha." Jack stopped talking at the looks he got from everyone.

"So have you been embarrassing him the entire time I've been in the kitchen?"

"Pretty much."

"And you let him?" Rose raised her eyebrows at the Doctor. "What did he say?"

The Doctor widened his eyes, silently begging her to ask another question before anyone answered.

"He's been listening to the pair of you," Martha told her simply causing the pink hue to creep further up the Doctor's neck.

"Oh is that all?"

"What do you mean 'is that all'?" the Doctor asked, taking another deep breath from the inhaler.

"It's Jack. What else do you expect?"

"Hey I object! I'm not that bad!"

"Pfft," the Doctor mocked then started coughing. "Please…..don't make….me laugh!"

"Serves you right."

"Can we get back to work now? Jack you finished fiddling under the panel."

"Aye aye captain Doctor sir!" he saluted.

"Have you been at the home brew again?"

"No, just felt like being a pirate. After all we are on a ship."

"But apparently you're the Captain or are you going to admit to being a charlatan?" Rose caught her tongue between her teeth.

"Where did you learn a word like that?" Jack teased. "So boss what's the plan now?"

"Well, I know how much you love destruction and we need to make this planet into dust…."

"What?!" Martha yelped. "You can't. You can't just blow up a planet it's not right, aren't there intergalactic laws against it or something?"

"Martha," the Doctor sighed. "The planet is the size of central London and is riddled with vaults full of Cybersuits. Thousands of them, just waiting for someone to get them running again. If we don't destroy them…" he sighed. "Martha they are the things that killed your cousin."

Rose and Jack looked up sharply.

"They ripped through the universe and murdered thousands of people. If we don't destroy them we leave them for space pirates and scavengers to use as they like and if that happens the whole universe is vulnerable. What would you have me do Martha? Someone has changed history I have to set it right again."

The girl looked down at the floor. "What about the others on the planet?"

"You heard Kalos, he's the last. The rest are all perishing in those suits. There's nothing to save."

"What about him?"

"I said I would give him options and I will, but keeping this planet as it is isn't one of them."

XxXxX

It hadn't escaped Rose that the Doctor was about to attempt something very dangerous and something that would no doubt tug at old wounds. As far as she was aware the last planet the Doctor had blown up had been his own and she worried how such a similar situation might affect him.

She watched him as he and Jack confirmed where they were placing the devices one last time. He seemed calm enough but sometimes you just couldn't tell with the Doctor. She'd got better at reading him as time had gone on and he was more open with her than she'd ever believed he could be with anyone, but sometimes his barriers were far too strong.

"Rose, you're in charge. If something goes wrong you need to press this button and pull this lever, right? The TARDIS will take you home." The Doctor's gaze bore into hers as she nodded hesitantly. "I mean it Rose, if we don't come back or you hear from either of us to get out of here then you go. No waiting another couple of seconds. You go home. You're priority is to make sure you and Martha are safe. Understand?"

"Just one thing. I don't have a home to go to," she told him. "This is my home remember?"

He stepped towards her digging in his trouser pocket and placing the contents into her hand. Looking down Rose frowned.

"I don't understand."

"Your mum's flat on the Estate. It's still there, everything's as you both left it. Bills are paid automatically. Haven't done your ironing though, that's still hanging up in the kitchen." He offered her a smile.

"You kept my flat running? Why?"

He shrugged. "Just wasn't ready to let it go yet I suppose."

Rose felt her eyes mist up and a lump form in her throat. "Well don't give me a reason to have to use it right?"

"Yes Ma'am. Jack you ready?"

"Two seconds," came a distant reply from the corridor and the Doctor sighed.

"I'm timing you!"

Rose giggled. "Are you going to be okay?"

"'Course, why shouldn't I be?"

"No reason." She smiled at him tightly.

"Rose?"

"Doesn't matter. It's not important."

He watched her intently for a moment and was about to question her further when Jack entered the control room.

"Ready boss?"

"I've been ready for ages." He nodded at the door. "Come on."

"Be careful," Rose told them as she stood in the doorway watching them walk away.

XxXxX

"Kalos?" the Doctor called, carefully making his way to the make-shift lab. "It's the Doctor."

"I've already told you Doctor. Do what you have to."

"We can't let these things be found by someone else. We can't run the risk of them being used and that means destroying this planet."

"I know that Doctor, I may have been alone for more time than I care to recall but I'm not quite that mad."

"I can take you somewhere else. I can find you somewhere to live," the Doctor was pleading with him.

"Alone?" he shook his head "I've spent enough time alone. What there was of my family is in this building, encased in all that metal. I must stay."

"You'll be killed."

"I know that. I'm under no illusions. But I'd rather die here than live a lonely existence. Surely you must understand that."

The Doctor merely nodded, unable to argue with him. He was shocked when Kalos held out his hand to him.

"It was good to meet you Doctor. The last of the Time Lords."

"You don't have to be alone, you could find a new life out there," the Doctor argued one last time.

The man shook his head. "I don't want one. I was happy here until they came and took everything away. Now all that's left are the memories and an empty house. Moving somewhere else wouldn't solve the problem, it would just relocate it. But thank you."

"If you had no intention of accepting my help why did you come back here?"

"To be with them. If I am to be released I want to be with what's left of those I love."

With a heavy heart the Doctor nodded and left the man slowly walking through the warehouse and out onto the beach.

He ran his fingers over the detonator in his pocket before pulling it out. One of the lights was flashing green. That wasn't right, green meant…

Jack was running full pelt towards the TARDIS. His heart was pounding and his lungs felt like they might burst, yelling and waving his arms at Rose, who was stood waiting in the doorway. He saw the fear on her face as he threw himself at the doors, an almighty explosion sounding a small distance away.

The Doctor took off running towards his ship. If Jack was running then this was no false alarm. Something had gone wrong and he had just a few seconds to get to the TARDIS before he was too late. No matter how quickly he ran the TARDIS still seemed miles away.

His lungs began to complain, _not again_ he prayed, as spots appeared before his eyes. He shook his head to clear it, focussing on his goal. He saw Rose appear at the door looking towards Jack who was now waving his arms at her.

An explosion shook the ground causing the Doctor to stumble and fall. He struggled to his feet only to be knocked from them again by another explosion.

Looking up at his ship he despaired. It was so close but so far at the same time, a seemingly impossible goal to reach as his lungs burned and he gasped for breath, the black spots before his eyes getting bigger and bigger, almost obscuring his sight completely. He could not die blowing up this planet, not now. That wasn't justice. If he'd died destroying Gallifrey that would have been justice, dying here and now would just be unfair. He tried to gulp more air into his lungs, trying to get them to function, trying to get anything to function. This wasn't fair, after all these years he was going to end his days killing off unanimated Cybermen.

XxXxX


	10. Chapter 10

"We have to get out there! We have to bring him back!" Martha yelled at Rose as she stared at the TARDIS doors.

"Martha, you remember what the Doctor said. We have to get out of here, no exceptions," Jack told her in a hushed voice.

"No, not yet," Rose told him calmly. "We can give him a few more seconds."

"Rose, we can't, those explosions are getting closer. Pretty soon there's going to be nothing left of us."

"Why are you just standing there?! Do something!" Martha ran at the doors and screamed as one flung open and a hand grabbed at her foot.

"It's about bloody time!" Rose chided grabbing the hand and pulling. "Oncoming Storm? More like Oncoming Puff, blimey! Jack, get us out of here!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Jack shouted happily as Martha slammed the door shut behind the struggling Doctor.

"What….did….you…do?" the Doctor gasped, ferreting around his pocket trying to grab at his inhaler.

"Me? You had the detonator," Jack called bouncing running around the control panel, sending the TARDIS into the vortex.

"Didn't….press….a …thing….must….have ….set….them….gaah!" he yelped as his lungs cramped up.

"Will you put that thing in your mouth?!" Martha demanded, shoving the inhaler at his lips, not caring if she hit his teeth in the process.

The Doctor growled at her and fixed her with his 'watch your step' glare that he usually reserved for the enemy as he sucked in through the device.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I was worried sick! You scared the hell out of me."

His gaze softened and he rolled his eyes. "Can't get rid of me that easy," he rasped.

"Why weren't you panicking?" Martha asked Rose.

She shrugged. "I dunno, it was like I was there but I wasn't."

"You always did keep relatively cool in a crisis," he panted, "remember Chloe?"

"Don't remind me!"

"Care to share?" Jack asked, sitting beside the Doctor.

"The Doctor ended up being nothing but a colouring on a page, leaving me to figure out how to bring everyone back by myself," Rose told them.

"And I fine job you did to! Even saved me a cake with edible ball bearings!" He made to stand despite everyone's protests. "Oh stop nagging you bunch of old women," he teased. "Half hour in the Zero room and I'll be fine."

"What do we do?" Jack asked hovering behind him in case he fell.

"Well you can stop doing that for a start," he said, not even looking round to see Jack. "Do what you normally do. Have fun!"

XxXxX

When the Doctor returned he heard music coming from the control room and smiled. What was Jack teaching now? Peering round the doorway he smiled as he saw Jack and Rose trying to teach Martha to Salsa to some very lively music. The three were laughing and cheering whenever one of them got the steps wrong.

The Doctor loved moments like this. He often found Jack teaching Rose some kind of new dance and he loved to watch without them knowing, learning it himself to surprise them with later. It was like a little game of one-up with Jack only they were always level pegging thanks to the Doctor's lurking. But he also loved the relaxed feeling on the ship these days, there was a lot of laughter and it had been seriously lacking in times gone by.

As Jack tripped over his own feet Martha and Rose burst out laughing before starting to dance with each other, watching him pout on the floor.

"Now come on Jack, letting the girls beat you is just not very manly is it?!" the Doctor called striding into the control room, a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Think you can do better?"

"Try me."

"You're on," Jack said a little too smugly. He was sure the Doctor didn't know this dance, he'd only just taught Rose enough for her to be able to carry it off without guidance.

Rose and Martha watched with fascination as Jack became rather hot under the collar at the Doctor's moves.

"You can dance?" Martha asked incredulously.

"Any reason why I shouldn't?"

"I dunno, just never seen you dance like that before."

"Well, like to keep Jack Flash on his toes!"

"This isn't fair," Jack grumbled. "The old you couldn't remember how to waltz let alone be deliberately sexy."

"Ah, but things change Jack my boy." His eyes sparkled as he danced away from Jack and towards the girls. "Martha, care for a twirl?"

"Okay who are you and what have you done with the Doctor?" she asked, unable to stop herself watching his hips roll around. She felt like she should be laughing but there was something in the way he did it that stopped her.

Before the Doctor could answer the ship jerked and the music cut out.

"Not again," the Doctor groaned, all seriousness returning to his face as he pulled his glasses from his pocket and peered at the monitor.

The TARDIS jerked again and the engines started screaming. "Oh don't make me go down there! Well no I realise that but…..there's no need to take that tone! No there really isn't." He lowered his voice and leaned closer to the control panel. "Stop showing off in front of everyone," he hissed. "I most certainly am not! Look do you want me to go down there or not? Exactly. I don't know…..float!"

Jack, Martha and Rose glanced at each other as the Doctor continued his one way argument.

"Is he really….?"

"He's arguing with the TARDIS." Rose nodded as Martha suppressed a snicker.

"You know sometimes you sound just like my mother! She used to moan all the time too!" the Doctor grumbled as he lifted a maintenance hatch.

"Problems?" Martha asked.

"The crash apparently caused some damage to the water pipes down below so now I've got to go and fix them."

"There's a down below?" Jack asked, hurrying over to the pit.

"What, you think that this is all there is to the main control room?"

"Well yeah," Martha said watching the Doctor's eyes light up and sparkle in a way she'd rarely seen.

"Come on then. I'll show you exactly what my girl is made of!"

XxXxX

"Where the hell are we going?" Rose asked and the four climbed underneath the control panel and down an access ladder.

"You are about to enter the one part of the TARDIS no one else has ever seen," the Doctor said proudly.

As they reached the floor Rose looked around her. The room was half a globe and when she looked up she realised the control room completed it.

"It looks like brain matter," Martha wrinkled her nose as she touched the curved walls.

"Well I suppose it is in a way. The TARDIS uses a combination of semi-organic, fibre-optic, metallic and acoustic circuitry. This, my friends is what I call the switch room. All around you is the raw matter the TARDIS creates new rooms from."

"What's down there?" Jack asked, peering through the grating of the floor at the source of the green light.

"Down there is where she connects to the time vortex and it's where the mini Eye of Harmony lives."

Rose looked up at him sharply.

"Not _the_ Eye of Harmony Rose, a miniature version. If it was the real Eye, we wouldn't have to land on the rift to refuel every now and then."

"I'm a bit lost, what's the Eye of Harmony?" Martha asked, watching the exchange of meaningful looks between the Time Lord and his lover.

"It's the nucleus of a black hole. The original Eye powered my planet and sustained life. We are right in the top of the Time Sceptre. It's a little hard to explain without a picture to show you but think of a big antenna, under that there is the globe that we are standing in the bottom half of now. Below us is an even bigger globe, where I have to run off to for a while, which is the Core services module. That holds all the power rooms, time travel control, navigations, the computer systems and life support systems and all that jazz. Then you've got just the central shaft, no cool rooms or functions just serves to contain the Artron energy and channel it from the eye to the control room. Then we've got the cloister room that leads straight down into the eye. One big long sceptre and you are standing on the top."

"So where does the second control room fit in to all this? 'Cause we seemed to walk for miles and it wasn't down here, Rose asked, turning on the spot to take it all in."

"Ah, now that is a good question. You're standing underneath the secondary control room. And the Primary for that matter. They stand on the same spot just in a different time phase. The long walk was actually a walk through time. Now I need to get down to the next level. Shouldn't take me two ticks but don't get into mischief while I'm down there, I don't want to lose my footing and end up in the shaft." He waved the Sonic Screwdriver at the three if them.

"Yes boss." Jack couldn't help but smirk.

The Doctor rolled his eyes before disappearing down another ladder.

"I'm sorry, didn't anyone else want to laugh?"

Rose and Martha smiled at him.

"Just goes to show, you think you've got a handle on things and suddenly," Martha clicked her fingers. "He changes the state of play. I mean, it never occurred to me that any of this was down here you know? I figured all the important stuff was in that control room."

"You and me both," Rose breathed, crouching to look through the grating down the shaft. "So, if the TARDIS' power source is down there and the energy gets channelled up through the shaft up to the central column, what the hell did I look into?"

"When?" Jack asked, transfixed by the energy dancing in the tube, sparking and wriggling it's way upwards, bathing them in the same green light of the control room.

"When the Doctor sent me home from the game station, he said I looked into the heart of the TARDIS and the time vortex was in my head. But if it's all down there…."

"It gets channelled upwards too. It must do," Jack answered.

"What must do what?" the Doctor appeared behind them sporting a very soggy shirt.

There was no time to answer when the TARDIS' sirens began blaring and everything turned mauve.

"What now?! I swear Harkness if you've been fiddling again…." The Doctor practically flew up the ladder to the control room, closely followed by the others.

"What's going on?" Rose asked rushing to his side.

"She's working on full power but can't move. Come on old girl, Rose be a love, switch off the damn alarm bells for me?" the Doctor growled pumping away at a lever, his eyes never leaving the screen. "What is that?"

"A travel inhibitor," Jack muttered, looking over the Doctor's shoulder.

"A what?"

"It's like a lasso. It latches on to whatever it's aimed at and doesn't let go."

"Well, we'll have to find somewhere far away to re-materialise in."

"No go, Doc. Once that thing has you it doesn't matter where or when you try and jump to, there's no escape. They've jammed the time rotor." Jack's face was grim as he kept his gaze focussed on the monitor, unable to look any of the other occupants in the eye.

"How is that possible? She's more powerful than a black hole!" Rose exclaimed, a sick feeling settling in her stomach.

"How do you know that?" the Doctor growled at Jack quietly.

"It's a Time Agency patented device. Looks like they finally caught up with me."

XxXxX


	11. Chapter 11

"What have you done this time?" the Doctor demanded.

"Nothing….lately."

"They've got no reason to want me, Rose or Martha so I'll ask again; what have you done?" He grabbed Jack by his shirt collar and shoved him onto the jump seat, but his voice remained dangerously calm and for the first time since he'd met the Doctor, Jack was terrified. He'd been made nervous by the Time Lord's anger but now he saw the real Oncoming Storm.

"You remember me telling you I was wanted in two Galaxies? Guess this must be one of them."

"No, if you were wanted they'd have picked you up on the ground. Why did they wait until you were back onboard? There's something you're not telling me."

"I swear I don't know. They stole two years of my memories, it could be anything."

"Well let's start with your career as a criminal shall we? When we met you, you thought we were Time Agents and tried to con us, have you conned them before?"

"No! That was the first time I tried, I swear and then I was with you until you left me behind on that satellite so I couldn't have, could I?" Jack was beginning to sweat and his voice was cracking under the Doctor's intense stare.

The control panel started beeping and the Doctor moved towards it, never taking his eyes off the former Time Agent. He pressed a button and began speaking.

"This is the good ship TARDIS and you are causing quite a bit of damage."

"This is the Time Agency, we apologise for our crude methods of contacting you."

"Contact? Is that what you call it? Whipping us out of our time path, with the potential of causing serious, irreparable harm to a ship that's over a millennium old! Madam, if that is contact I hate to see what a hijacking is."

"We do not wish to cause alarm…"

"Too late."

"But if you would disengage your thrusters we can solve this problem quickly."

"We will solve it even quicker if you just let go of my ship."

"I'm afraid we can't do that."

"Well then I suggest you explain yourselves very quickly because I am losing my patience."

"Sir, it really would be better if you let us take you in."

The Doctor tensed his jaw, his eyes darkening by the second as he continued to pin Jack with his gaze.

"And if I don't?"

"We will bring you in by force."

He snatched his finger away from the button and growled loudly. "You better think quickly Harkness, 'cause I've heard plenty about this lot on my travels and none of it is good."

"Doctor?" Martha stepped up beside him. "What's going to happen?"

"I have no idea, but whatever it is he brought it on us. You've put this family in danger Captain."

"Danger?" Rose asked taking the Doctor's hand.

"This lot are worse than Torchwood; only they have no idea who I am yet so the only link with us his him."

"So what do we do?" Rose's gaze flicked from her lover to her friend.

"We do as we're told," the Doctor said grimly as he turned off the engines.

The four sat in silence until the TARDIS landed with a bump.

"See their landings aren't any better than mine," the Doctor told them as he moved to the doors. "Rose, you and Martha stay here and stay hidden. Do not leave unless you hear otherwise from me. Jack, you're coming with me."

"Doc, they're going to kill me, you realise that?" Jack told him, fear flickering behind his eyes.

The Doctor regarded him for a moment, suppressing the urge to yell at him some more.

"You are part of this family Jack; I will not let them kill you."

"They're not in the habit of giving people much of a choice on that score from what I remember."

"Trust me Jack, at this point neither am I."

XxXxX

"So this is the great and powerful Time Agency," the Doctor crowed as he stepped out of the TARDIS. "And for what do we owe the pleasure of this kidnapping?"

"It's hardly a kidnapping Sir," a uniformed officer told him.

"Oh really? Hijacking my ship and forcing us here doesn't constitute a kidnapping anymore?"

"You are merely helping us with our enquiries."

"That implies we have a choice in the matter. In that case we'll be on our merry way." The Doctor smiled sweetly, turned and started back towards the TARDIS, not even stopping when he heard some very powerful armoury powering up behind him.

Jack was worried, had the Doctor lost his mind sometime in the last hour without anyone noticing?

"I'm afraid that's not an option sir," the Agent called again.

This time the Doctor did stop and he turned to face them.

"Ah see, now this is being honest. Lets just call a spade a spade shall we, none of this 'helping with our enquiries' malarkey. What is it you want?"

"Your friend here has something of ours and we want it back."

"Jack, any idea what they're talking about?" he turned to the Time Agent, the epitome of niceness to anyone who didn't know better, but Jack did know better and he could see the dark clouds behind the Doctor's eyes.

Jack just shrugged unable to voice anything.

"Hmm, seems Jack has no idea what you are talking about. Sure you've got the right man?"

"Absolutely, we've been tracking him for decades."

"Now, why would you want to do that?" the Doctor raised his eyes brows and his chin, waiting for his answer.

Jack almost smiled as he saw the young agent swallow hard. He knew the Doctor was testing the waters to see how easily they could be manipulated and intimidated.

"He… he used to be a Time Agent and he still has something in his possession that the superiors are keen to have returned to them."

"Bit sloppy isn't it? Allowing someone to leave the Agency when he still has your belongings."

"He wasn't allowed to leave," a voice boomed from the side.

"Ah now this looks more like an organ grinder," the Doctor cheered and grinned broadly. "And you are?"

"Agent Brennan, head of this particular unit." He wasn't a very tall man but he was well built and clearly had many years experience under his belt.

"So why don't you answer the million dollar question," the Doctor's grin disappeared and his voice lowered to a dangerous tone again, "and tell us what it is you want?"

"This man was once one of our most promising Agents. There was no one he couldn't track down. No information he couldn't get from people, not matter what it took…"

"Until you stole two years of his memories," the Doctor cut in.

"With good reason."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows waiting for an explanation.

"He became a liability. He began to be less thorough with people."

"Became more humane you mean," the Doctor corrected.

"Well, if you want to put it that way then yes. He got soft. A soft Time Agent is unacceptable."

"And yet I am still so terribly bored of this conversation. I don't like doing impressions much; was never really good at it and yet I seemed to be mimicking a parrot. What. Do. You. Want. From. Us?"

"Not you, just him."

"Well that's where we're going to have a bit of a problem because with him, you get me."

"And you are?"

"A higher authority than you," the Doctor growled, his patience ebbing away with these games.

"Oh really?" the Agent smirked.

"Really. Don't wage war on me. Because believe me you _won't_ live to regret it."

"Doctor," Jack hissed. He'd never heard the Doctor threaten to kill anyone before.

"And what makes you a higher authority than the Time Agency?" Brennan snarled.

"He's the Lord of Time. He owns you," Martha's voice came from behind.

XxXxX

The Doctor stiffened at the girl's voice. Suddenly the Agents were on the three of them, restraining them.

"Yeah, thanks for that Martha," he sniffed, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"What they asked!"

"And I wasn't about to answer," he growled, his eyes darting around looking for Rose.

"Any more in there _Doctor_?" Agents Brennan's blue eyes twinkled with excitement, he'd had his suspicions as to the visitor's identity, but he relished the opportunity to say his name with complete confidence.

Jack watched as the Time Lord stayed silent and emotionless.

' _Rose? Where are you?'_

' _I'm sorry Doctor, I tried to stop her she's just too strong,'_ Rose's voice came in the Doctor's head.

' _Are you okay?'_

' _I've got a new bruise to add to the list but I'm fine, I'm in the switch room but the front door is wide open.'_

' _Don't panic and try to stay hidden. I don't know how much this lot know about us or what sort of technology they have. The TARDIS should've closed her own doors by now.'_

' _Which means they have some way of blocking her?'_

' _Yup.'_

' _So we're screwed then?'_

' _At this moment in time…yeah that'd pretty much some us up.'_

XxXxX


	12. Chapter 12

The Doctor and Martha were thrown in a holding room and Jack was carted off to another part of the space station.

The pair sat in silence staring at the wall when they realised the Sonic Screwdriver was still on the TARDIS.

Martha risked a glance over at the Time Lord. "Sorry," she muttered.

"What for?"

"Getting us stuck here."

"Oh."

"That's it? Oh?!"

"Yes, oh. What else so you want me to say?"

"I didn't mean to drop us in it! I bet Rose has got caught plenty of times!" She was losing her temper with him but he didn't even look round, he just kept staring at the wall as if it held all the answers.

"There's a difference between getting caught and walking out into the disaster and making it worse, Martha," he told her evenly. "There was a good reason I hadn't told them exactly who I was and this was it."

"What are they going to do?"

"Oh use me against Jack I should think. Little bit of ….. persuasion goes a long way."

"Persuasion?"

He turned his head to look at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You mean….?"

He nodded grimly. "You'll be alright though. They'll have worked out you're not useful enough to get the information they want. You haven't been with him long enough."

"So I can look forward to a quick death then? That makes me feel so much better." She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and watched him as he stood and paced the room. The silence grew as the Doctor sat back down and rummaged in his pocket. Pulling out a pen and paper he began sketching.

Martha snuck a peek and recognised the sketched face of Rose. It looked identical to the one John Smith and drawn in his journal.

"Were you ever happy with me Doctor?"

"What?" he asked absently, smudging some of the lead to create shadows.

"When I was travelling with you, were you ever actually happy or was I just a poor substitute?"

"That's not fair," he said softly, looking at her.

"I heard you talking to her earlier; saying that you carried on because she'd wanted you to but that you didn't care if you actually lived. Did I mean that little to you that I didn't even figure in the equation?"

"Martha, this isn't the time."

"Why not? We're not going anywhere." She looked at him defiantly.

"Fine. What were you doing, listening at the door? What gives you the right?"

"It's the only way I ever learn anything these days"

"You've been back on the ship for a day! What do you need to know?"

"I thought…. I hoped maybe you'd come looking for me."

"Why? You left me remember? You stormed out and went home, not the other way round!"

"It doesn't mean I didn't care about you! How do you think I felt whenever Rose crossed your mind? You think you were good at hiding it but you weren't. I knew the instant her name popped into your head. You'd look so heartbroken and in the end I couldn't take it. Living in her shadow was like being in hell or something."

"You have no idea of what hell feels like. What did you do to Rose?" the Doctor growled.

"Nothing!"

"Really? So how'd she end up with a few more bruises to add to the collection?"

"I…. I only pushed her. She must've fallen. She was trying to hold me back."

"With good reason. I thought you'd remember that when I tell you to do something it's usually for a good reason. Now Rose is alone in a TARDIS that isn't working properly!"

"I'm sorry. Wait! You did it again! You changed the subject! Why are you avoiding the question?"

"I'm the Doctor; avoidance is what I do best."

"Except when it comes to her."

"Stop it."

"Why? I deserve to know don't I? Did you ever have any feelings for me?"

"Martha please…"

"Just answer the question!"

"You were my companion; of course I cared about you."

"That's not what I asked."

He dropped the pad onto the floor and stood, raking his fingers through his hair and tugging on his ear the way he always did when he was uncomfortable. "Look I found you at a bad time. Everything was dark and cold and you were intelligent and fun and I thought you deserved a bit of excitement in your life."

"But?"

"There is no 'but'."

"Yes there is, it's the 'but' where you say 'but I never loved you'."

The Doctor found he couldn't look at her.

"That's all I needed to know."

"Martha…. I never…"

"No, I know you didn't, it was all me. Doesn't stop a girl hoping though does it? So why her? Why could Rose Tyler fix you last time and I couldn't this time?" She picked up the pad and flicked through it, finding page after page of pictures of Rose and Jack, as if he'd drawn them instead of taking photos. Sometimes they were running, other pictures they were laughing and some had the pair of them with their backs to him looking out over some exotic landscape.

"I was too lost. It's like when a balloon floats by and you catch the string. You don't know where it came from so you tie it to the rail to stop it flying off. You caught me and stopped me from drifting further away so in a way you did save me," he sighed at the confusion on her face. "There's no way I can make you understand," he told her grimly.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't really understand it…because you've obviously never felt it," he took a deep breath. "And because in 900 years of time and space travel, I have loved exactly one person. And I mean truly loved, not like how I love Jack or you or Jackie." He sighed as he saw her try to hide the hurt look.

"Is it because she's prettier than me?"

"What?"

"You like blondes right? Its okay, you can tell me. Not like it's going to make any difference now. You know, the few times you mentioned her I thought she was going to be this really intelligent, funny woman. Like the perfect woman,"

The Doctor felt himself bristle, not liking the turn this conversation was taking.

"But now I meet her and she's just this ordinary, bleach blond girl from the estate. There's nothing special about her."

"Not to you maybe," he snapped then sighed. "Rose is a human through and through. She may have Gallifreyan biology but she's still human. And that's what makes her so special. She feels everything. You don't know her, so you can't know how special she is. You can't make judgements on people Martha based on how they look. Does Jack look like he's over two hundred years old and unable to die? Do I look like I've been around for almost a millennium?"

"Yes you do. Or you used to. I used to look at you and see all the excitement of the universe then suddenly it'd be gone and I'd see centuries of… of hurt and emptiness and anger. It was like watching a tragic movie over and over again. So come on, what's she got that I haven't?"

"I don't see things the way you humans do; how someone or something looks doesn't make them any more or less beautiful, it's the thing or person as a whole. 'Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.' Your friend said that."

"Who?"

"Will Shakespeare, 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Helena, act 2 scene 3."

"So your argument is that love is blind?"

He crouched down to look her in the eye. "You're a beautiful girl Martha and you're fun and oh so clever, when you want to be anyway. You deserve far more than a war weary, damaged soul like me."

"And Rose doesn't?"

"Of course she does but Rose….. well she's just Rose." He sighed and sat back on his haunches. "I didn't go looking for it. I'm not meant to have a someone. I never expected the feeling to last, especially not with a human shop girl but she lights everything up even when things are at their darkest. She's bossy and stubborn and naive at times, always wears her heart on her sleeve. I've sent her away at least twice that I can think of and she always comes back. She won't give up on me; we've been through too much together and she's taught me more than I ever thought possible. But I can't explain; I can't put into words what makes me love her as much as I do or how incredibly special she is. I just know that she's so much a part of me that …" his voice trailed off.

"That you can't live without her?" Martha sighed looking down at her hands.

"Don't get me wrong, if she wanted to leave I'd let her go in an instant. The minute she realises that I don't deserve her I won't stop her leaving." He saw the confused look on Martha's face. "I didn't try to stop you. It was your choice to leave me Martha not the other way round. I would never force anyone to stay no matter who they were. It's what you do when you love someone, Martha. You let them fly when they're ready to."

"If you had met me instead, do you think things might've been different?"

"I don't do 'what if's', Martha. They're too dangerous and complicated apart from the fact they are grossly unfair for all parties involved."

Martha nodded her understanding, she'd regretted asking the moment the words had left her mouth and she was glad he didn't answer. She'd rather live in ignorance. "Does she know everything there is to know about you?"

"900 years is a lot of time, I'm sure there are things she doesn't know."

"But she knows the important stuff though. Like you becoming human and falling for that nurse."

He looked at her darkly. "Yes she knows. She also knows that while John Smith may be in here somewhere, he isn't me. John Smith and I are completely different entities."

"Don't you ever wonder….?"

"Wonder what?"

"Well, if the war had never happened and you still met Rose… I mean it's like your whole relationship is based on running and saving each other and being afraid. Afraid of monsters and being alone and naive. It's not exactly healthy is it?" She offered him a smile and the Doctor laughed.

"No I suppose it does look like that on the outside but it's so much more. The fact that she saved me just made our bond stronger but there was something from the very first time I took her hand. I've never had a bond as strong with anyone; the only thing that comes close is the TARDIS. When she came back into my life I showed her everything I've done. I've done many, many terrible things. I've been responsible for more genocides than I can count, I've killed so many and I showed her every last one but she didn't run, didn't scream or shout, she accepted me the same way she did the first time she found out I was an alien. Nothing happened between us for the entire time she travelled with me. Time Lords and humans were never meant to mingle that way. We just carried on with our lives doing our little dance, never saying how we felt but always side by side. So no Martha, it's not based on running and being scared, there's so, _so_ much more. Right from our first words."  
"And what were they?"

"I believe my first word to her was," a grin spread across his face and a wicked gleam made his eyes sparkle, "run!"

Martha could help but laugh.

"And I believe hers were something like, 'you pulled his arm off'."

"What?!"

"Shop dummies were coming to life and grabbing for us so I pulled its arm off."

"Of course, only sensible thing to do when shop window dummies come to life." She bit her lip trying to suppress a giggle. "So what changed? If you spent so long doing nothing about it what changed?"

"I had nothing left to lose. She told me she loved me the very last time we saw each other and I never got to say it back. When I saw her again I could see she still felt that way and I couldn't let her leave without telling her."

"Leave?"

"She fell through the rift and we didn't know if she could stay or if she had to go back to the other universe. Turns out she's stuck here with me."

"I'm sure she doesn't mind," Martha sighed. "So what's the plan now?"

He didn't respond, his eyes just glazed over and he narrowed his eyes at a spot on the wall behind her.

"What is it?"

"They're searching inside the TARDIS."

"But how? Nothing can get through those doors without a key."

"You left the door open and they're blocking the TARDIS primary survival function so she can't shut them out."

"Where's Rose?"

"Hiding under the control room. They're being too thorough they're going to find her. Martha, I need you to do something for me."

XxXxX


	13. Chapter 13

"So, you're going by the name Jack now are you? Who did you steal that from?" Agent Brennan snarled.

"A good man who deserved to live," Jack spat.

"Yes, well. Let's not beat about the bush _Jack._ You know what we're after so lets do things the easy and save your friends a lot of pain. Just tell us where it is."

"His heart rate has increased, Sir."

"So, you either do know what we're talking about or you care about these friends more than we thought. Now, a Time Lord, he is an interesting subject. We've all heard the legends of course but now we get to see them in reality. Bring the Doctor to observation 3," he called over his shoulder and smiled as fear flickered across Jack's face.

XxXxX

"Help! I need some help in here! Martha, it's okay, everything is going to be alright I promise. Help!" the Doctor yelled as loudly as he could.

One of the guards opened the door and they both ran in.

"What happened?" one of the Agents asked.

"I don't know, one minute she was fine, scared but fine the next she just keeled over. She's not used to all this, she wasn't even meant to be travelling with us; she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught up with us. You have to help her," the Doctor pleaded.

As one agent bent to see to Martha the other backed the Doctor away.

"Just calm down, Sir. Everything will be fine, she'll be well looked after."

The Doctor rested his hand on the back of the Agent's head and looked into his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered as the Agent's eyes began to flutter. "Sorry, old chap," he said, catching the agent and gently laying him on the ground.

He moved soundlessly up behind the second guard who was trying to rouse Martha. Quick as a flash the other agent collapsed onto of Martha.

"Oi!" she complained, pushing the body from her.

"Sorry, didn't quite get there in time."

"What did you do to them anyway?"

"Me? Nothing, you know nothing Martha Jones you were ill on the floor," he looked at her pointedly as he rummaged through the guards belongings.

"So what now?"

"You go back to being ill on the floor."

"I can't just lay there doing nothing!"

The Doctor was beside her in two long strides placing his hands on the back and front of her heard. "Sorry Martha," he whispered as he lowered her to the floor. "The less you know the better. Right, distraction. Alien escape is the most likely to make 'em all come running, especially when I've got one of these." He hoisted on of the guards weapons onto his shoulder and strolled out of the cell, smashing an emergency alarm as he went.

XxXxX

Rose heard the alarm from outside the TARDIS and smiled.

' _You causing trouble again Theta?'_

' _Might be. Can't have them finding you now can we?!'_

' _Too late, they've found the repair hatch.'_

' _They'll be out of there any minute.'_

' _They've definitely found me. Thanks for trying though.'_

' _Don't say a word Rose. Don't ask about me or anyone else. Don't give them anything!'_

' _Cool as a cucumber. Gotcha.'_

"Can I help you with something?" Rose asked defiantly as the Agents cuffed her hands behind her back.

XxXxX

The Doctor heard rushed footsteps coming along the corridor behind him. He turned, aimed his gun at chest level and waited.

"Now, I was having a nice little chat with your friend Jack before we were so rudely interrupted by your commotion. Are you really going to fire that, Doctor? I thought Time Lords were a peaceful race," Brennan smirked

"We were, until peace got us killed."

"The way I hear it, you got them killed. Blew the whole place up didn't you? Just like you did earlier with Telos."

"How do you know about that?"

"Like I said earlier, we've been tracking you. Who do you think led you there?"

"You changed the time lines."

"Did we? Surely if we had done that then your memories shouldn't be in place."

_Smug git._

The Doctor closed his eyes and sighed. "None of it was real was it?"

"Not one dust particle. You blew up a dead star. Everything else was an illusion. Telos still stands with its Cyberman exactly where you left them all that time ago."

"The rock from Gallifrey wasn't an illusion."

Brennan frowned. "What rock?"

"Looks like the Time Agency can't manipulate everything as easily."

"This is true. That's why we need you."

The Doctor didn't like the sound of that and when some agents disarmed him and restrained him from behind, he liked it even less.

XxXxX

Jack's eyes widened and he felt his heart pound as he saw his friend strapped to a wall.

"Now Jack. One more time, where is it?" Brennan asked, appearing in the doorway.

"I don't know. I haven't seen it seen it in years. Not since the 1940's."

"Well, maybe this will jog your memory." Brennan nodded at one of the Agents. "Remember Jack, you can stop this at any time."

Nausea erupted in the pit of Jack's stomach as the Doctor grunted, refusing to cry out. He bit his lip and clenched his eyes shut against the pain.

"Stop it!"

"Tell us what where it is and we will."

"I told you I don't have it. Haven't had it for years."

"If that's the way you want to play it. Bring the girl in too."

XxXxX

The Doctor heard the door to the observation room open followed by a familiar voice muttering obscenities.

He raised his head to look at her. His view was mostly blocked by the men putting her in position but he could tell she was about to be treated to the same.

' _I'm sorry Rose.'_

' _You okay?'_

' _I've been better, you?'_

' _Oh you know, keeping my sense of humour. Could be worse.'_

' _How?'_

' _I'm still trying to figure that bit out but at least I said it with conviction.'_

The Doctor almost laughed out loud and it made him love the girl even more if it was possible.

' _What are they going to do?'_ Rose asked as they strapped her wrists and ankles to the wall.

' _Don't think you really want to know.'_

' _I suppose it'd be a bit of an understatement to say it's going to hurt?'_ She finally got a chance to see him and felt bile rise up her throat as she saw the angry red stripes across his chest.

The Doctor didn't need to say anything; the sight of his injuries was answer enough.

' _Let's hope Jack can remember what they talking about soon.'_

XxXxX

Jack almost cried out himself when he heard the Doctor and Rose scream in unison as they finally gave in. The electrode whips cracked through the air and made a ripping sound as they connected with flesh over and over.

He tried to close his eyes against the sight but he couldn't. He was transfixed, part of his brain telling him not to look away because then he wouldn't know what was happening.

"Stop this. It's got nothing to do with them, they don't know any more than I do. I can't tell you what I don't know!" Jack pleaded.

"Oh stop, you're breaking my heart. It's not like you haven't watched friends being tortured before. If you give in too soon there'll be no fun for me. Although seeing you cry would be fun. What happened to you? I knew you were going soft when we let you go but this is just pathetic. What happened to make you this…..weak?"

"I learned how to live."

XxXxX

' _Doctor? I don't think I can hold on much longer.'_

' _Then don't. The sooner you let go the sooner they'll stop.'_

' _What about you?'_

' _I'll try and hang on a long as I can, keep their attention away from you but it's not going to be for long. Just let go Rose, you'll be fine. I promise.'_

Rose risked a glance at her lover between lashings and wanted to cry. His face was pale and contorted in pain, sweat trailed down his skin and his eyes were hooded as he tried to focus on her trying to reassure her. She felt her muscles relax and let the darkness claim her, taking away the pain and fear that was balled up inside. Her last thoughts were of hope that the Doctor would join her soon.

XxXxX


	14. Chapter 14

The ex-Time Agent watched in horror as Rose went limp in the chains but the whipping ceased as they checked her vitals.

"She's had all she can take," one of the torturers told them through the intercom.

"Take her away," Brennan sneered. "Well Jack. One friend down, one to go. How much more do you think the Time Lord can take before he gives in too? You think he'll ever forgive you for putting him through this?"

Jack looked at the Doctor's face. He was pale and drawn, his eyes hooded and his torso covered in angry long welts.

The respite didn't last long as they continued with doubled efforts to torture the Doctor.

'Doc, I don't know what to do. I don't have what they're after and they don't believe me.'

'There's nothing you can do Jack. If you don't have it and you don't know where they can get it we're all in big trouble.' His voice cut out as he screamed again.

'You have to give in. Don't let them do this to you.'

'The longer they spend on me the safer you'll be. Why is it when ever we go somewhere together I end up getting tortured by something you're connected to? First Torchwood; now this lot. Said you were a jinx, Jack Harkness.'

The Doctor was trying to joke with him, even at a time like this the Doctor was trying to lighten Jack's mood. Jack could hear the Doctor's reasoning and the flippant way he'd say 'it's what families do'. But it meant much more to Jack than that. The very fact that Rose and the Doctor thought of him as family made Jack feel incredibly humble. They were two of the most amazing people Jack had ever met and he thanked who ever was watching over him for making their paths cross all those years ago. Without the Doctor and Rose he'd probably still be a crook or worse, he could be dead in the ground with no one to care.

'I brought this on us. It should be me in there not you or Rose. The girls need you, I'm expendable. Just let go like Rose did.'

'Jack…'

'No Doc, please let me do the right thing. If I had what they wanted I'd hand it over in an instant but I don't, so I can't. If there's one thing I've learnt from you it's how to be a better person.'

The Doctor let out a gut wrenching scream as the whip came down exceptionally hard on the sensitive skin of the y-shaped scar that decorated his chest. He didn't want to give in now, he didn't know how Jack would survive at the hands of his former employers but he could feel unconsciousness tugging at the sides of his mind, willing him to fall. It was the same feeling he'd had at Krop Tor. The little voice that nagged him to jump, to let himself fall into the pit was telling him to make it all stop and he found the fight against it getting harder with every second. The whip came down again and he was sure if he looked he would find it had ripped his scar open. Letting out a long breath the Doctor felt his knees buckle as the darkness won out.

"They are not animals!" Jack yelled, pulling against his restraints. "You can't do this to people!"

"But they aren't people. They have two hearts," Brennan sneered.

"Rose is a human from the 21st century. The two hearts is a mutation caused by the time vortex. You are torturing someone you are meant to be protecting!"

"You don't really expect me to believe that."

"It's the truth and if you'd done your homework you'd know. Rose Tyler is human."

"You've lost your touch. You were once one of our most promising torturers, there was nothing you couldn't find out. Now look at you, simpering and pleading. Your notes tell me that you once watched a friend of yours being tortured to death without making a sound. That takes guts."

"I was a kid and I was scared. If I made a sound they were going to kill me too," Jack growled, his fists tightening at the memory that was becoming more and more vivid.

He watched the Doctor fall to a heap on the floor as they released his arms and legs. He didn't move or moan but Jack knew he wasn't dead. He could still feel the Doctor's presence almost comforting him, letting him know he was most definitely alive. "It's me you want and it's me you've got. Do your worst."

XxXxX

Martha looked up as the door opened and the Doctor and his clothes were thrown inside.

He landed in a heap on the floor barely moving. She rushed from Rose's side and felt for a pulse.

"Rose?" he whispered.

"She's here."

Struggling to open his eyes the Doctor looked round and saw Rose sprawled out on the floor beside him. "Rose?" he rasped, dragging himself closer to her. When she didn't stir he placed his hand in hers and closed his eyes.

"Doctor? What are you doing?" Martha asked.

"Rose needs help and I need her," his voice was straining to be heard. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he raised himself up on his forearms and leant forward, pressing his lips to hers.

Martha watched transfixed as Rose's skin seemed to glow with a golden tone.

The Doctor pulled away and promptly collapsed on the cold hard floor, his hand still clasping Rose's.

Martha was at his side checking his pulses and breathing, both were becoming threadier by the second. When one of his hearts stopped Martha started to pound on his chest.

"Don't do this to me! Not again!"

She was startled as Rose suddenly gasped back to consciousness, her eyes snapping open.

"Doctor?" she rasped, pushing herself towards him.

"He did some weird energy exchange thing," Martha explained.

Rose nodded; "keep pumping." She took a deep breath and pressed her lips to his, pushing her energy into him.

Martha wondered how it was going to help. Doing that to Rose had practically killed him, how could pushing the energy back and forward help at all?

Rose pulled back, gripping the Doctor's hand.

"Gaaahhhh," the Doctor yelped. "Martha, hit me."

"What?"

He hit his fist against one side of his chest. "There, hit me hard." He saw the hesitation on her face. "Just do it," he gasped.

She nodded and did as he asked, "better?"

The Doctor nodded. "Both hearts beating now." He rolled his head to the side and saw Rose looking at him worriedly.

"Now who's scaring who?" she smiled.

"Sorry. Well done by the way." He struggled to sit himself up and reached for his shirt.

"I had no idea what I was doing," she shrugged. "It worked though."

"I don't get it, she just did what you did but she didn't collapse, how does that work?" Martha asked.

"I passed some of my life energy into Rose's system to re-energise her. It made her heal quicker. Rose passed it back to me so I can heal."

"Why didn't you just heal yourself first?"

"My body is older than Rose's. It takes more energy and longer to heal than hers."

"So you healed me first so I could get better sooner and help you." Rose smiled helping him fasten his buttons over his raw chest.

"That's the one. The Gallifreyan biology in you means you super-energised the energy cells and passed them back to me. Bad Wolf was useful in so many ways, shame it can't fix the insides." He grinned at her before scooting back to rest against the wall, sagging slightly as he searched his pockets for his inhaler.

"Bad Wolf?" Martha asked settling herself beside the pair.

"Ah, yes, sorry. Forgot to mention that bit didn't I? The game station, turns out, Rose you ARE Bad Wolf. You sent the words out as a message to yourself to find a way back to me. The Time Vortex changed you and now the ripple effect is taking Bad Wolf and spreading through time and space like a legend."

"So I'm a legend?"

"Well not really because you are real and legend implies a folk tale of some kind but Bad Wolf is everywhere we go whether we notice it or not."

Rose nodded, taking in the new information. "So probably best not to tell this lot then?"

"Lord of Time and Bad Wolf in one fell swoop? No, best not tell them."

"So what do we do now?" Martha asked.

"Pass me my jacket and coat and give me five minutes. You okay?" he asked Rose, eyeing her ripped and slightly bloodied top.

"I've been better. Not as bad as you though." Her eyes drifted down to where he had begun to bleed through his shirt.

He knew what she was looking at, he could feel it. "It's just a bit," he told her. "They split my scar that's all."

Rose nodded and looked back up at his face. There were a few scratches and he had a rather colourful black eye developing.

"You might want this," she said reaching into the neck of her top.

"Now's hardly the time," the Doctor smirked.

"Honestly, you think I'm that bad?" She reached further into her bra with a cheeky smile and brought out the Sonic Screwdriver.

"No Rose Tyler you are very, very good!" he told her grinning from ear to ear.

"How did you get that in there?" Martha asked incredulously.

"Sports bra; flat support across the bottom. Not pretty but handy in a tight spot! I found the Screwdriver in the switch room, figured you might want it. Just as well they aren't very thorough when searching people." Rose explained.

"Probably scared you'd slap them if they started grabbing at….well…." the Doctor nodded towards her chest.

"I dread to think what else you keep in there," Martha said, unable to hide her smile at the Doctor's discomfort at even talking about private matters of that kind.

"Travelling with him? Everything I can think of!"

The two girls laughed.

"Oh no, it's shades of the Krillitanes all over again!" the Doctor moaned, sliding up the wall to his feet. "Rose, what do we know?"

"They're after a Sonic something he had when he left. I didn't hear what but it's Sonic."

The Doctor's eyes widened in realisation.

"What? What is it?" Martha asked, watching his reaction.

"Martha, get in the far corner and cover your ears," he told her as he began fiddling with the Sonic Screwdriver.

She did as he said accompanied by Rose. Within seconds the full length glass window shattered.

"What about the alarms?"

"Oh the frequency I used will have killed them too," the Doctor smiled then grimaced.

"You okay?" Rose asked, moving to his side.

"Getting too old for this," he joked. "Good to see you by the way." He smiled and kissed her softly. "Come on, let's go and save the Captain."

XxXxX

The walk to the other holding rooms seemed endless and the space station was ridiculously empty. The guards hadn't been hard to over power, unfortunately for the Doctor it had taken its toll on him so soon after his ordeal and was now feeling every one of his 900 years.

"He doesn't have it," the Doctor wheezed as they burst into the room, clinging onto Rose and Martha for support.

The girls gasped at the sight of such a vulnerable Jack. It didn't take a genius to work out he had been treated to the same torture Rose and the Doctor had. This lot just weren't going to give up, even if it meant killing someone in the process.

"Doc!" Jack panted, his face etched with tiredness and pain.

"Easy Captain. Jack can't tell you what you want to know. You're asking the wrong question to the wrong person." The Doctor drew himself upright, biting back the pain as his body screamed in protest. "I've got your blaster."

XxXxX


	15. Chapter 15

"You've got it?" Rose looked at her lover.

"Jack had it when we met him. I was being nosey with it and found how dangerous it was," he shrugged. "I hid it away."

"Then you will relinquish it to us immediately," Agent Brennan demanded.

"I will not," the Doctor chuckled, thinking how much the Agent sounded like a Dalek just then.

"You don't have a choice. We don't need you to give it to us; we'll just keep searching your ship until we find it."

"Pfft, yeah good luck with that," Martha smirked.

"You'll be searching for centuries. That ship has a mind of its own; it moves rooms and has infinite possibilities. She'll never give it up," the Doctor told him proudly.

"Well then you make it."

"That weapon is a disaster waiting to happen. It's too unstable."

"Which is why we want it back."

"Now why do I find that hard to believe? Tell me, what do you think the most probable outcome of a malfunction would be?"

Brennan stayed silent.

"That thing is more dangerous than an atomic bomb. It could create one of the biggest and most ferocious black holes in the universe. And trust me; I've seen many in my time."

There was a flicker of something across the Agent's eyes.

"You already knew," Rose said.

"That particular Blaster was a prototype. And yes there were a few wrinkles to iron out," Brennan told them coolly a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"A few wrinkles? A hole in the universe that keeps eating and eating until there's nothing left to eat except itself and you say it has wrinkles? You're more insane than me!" the Doctor spat.

"Now Doctor, that was just a worst case scenario."

The Doctor laughed. "I don't think so. He was using it left right and centre, a few more uses and kaboom! It's a ticking bomb."

Jack felt sick at the thought. "Why do I get the feeling we're missing something? He's far too cool for a man that's just been told one of his inventions could destroy the universe."

The Doctor leant back against the wall looking incredibly casual for a man who was fighting off a torture induced asthma attack, and studied their captors.

"You're right; we are but we're not missing quite as much as they are. Tell me Agent Brennan, where's everybody else?"

"Sorry?"

"Doctor, those three were in the TARDIS," Rose hissed.

"A space station this size built to house the Time Agency and so far the only Agents I've seen are you lot and the other two in the holding cells. And looking at you all now I'd say there was no one searching my ship which would lead a normal person to believe you were all doing double duties. A normal person might also assume that the others were carrying out other duties off the base. However I am not an ordinary person and I don't believe it. You have Jack here and a Time Lord on your space station and you didn't call in the cavalry? Jack, how many people were employed here when you were with the Agency?"

"Couldn't say exactly," Jack told him as Rose freed him using the Sonic Screwdriver.

"More than fifteen though is my guess."

"Definitely."

The Doctor gave Agent Brennan a crooked smile. "This isn't about containing a dangerous weapon; this is about getting it back and using it. The only wrinkle, as you so nicely put it is that the black hole it creates is too big. You want to create mini ones to destroy all the things you don't like about the universe. Doesn't sound very neighbourly for an Agency that is supposed to protect time and space travel now does it?"

"So the black holes were just and extra function?" Martha asked. "Like booster rockets or something?"

"Yup." He popped the 'p' and raised his eyebrows waiting for Brennan to deny it.

The two men stared at each other, neither one daring to be the first to look away. After a while Agent Brennan became jittery under the Doctor's intense gaze and reached for the one thing he knew would distract him. Rose.

He grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her towards him, pinning her arms behind her with one arm and wrapping his other hand round her throat.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the Doctor told him, remaining ridiculously calm.

"Your choice Doctor; the Blaster or your girl."

Rose looked at the Doctor and raised one eyebrow at him.

"It's not really a choice is it?" the Doctor said solemnly.

Brennan began to smile.

"After all, he's not the one who's about to get hurt." Rose said, confusing everyone in the room.

"Doc, what's going on?" Jack hissed.

"Rose, don't do anything daft," the Doctor warned.

"I won't," Rose told him. Closing her eyes, a smile crept across her lips.

Martha exchanged a worried glance with Jack as he wrapped his arm round her shoulders and drew her closer to him, away from the insanity that seemed to be spreading.

The wild gleam in entered Doctor's eyes.

Brennan began to loosen his grip on Rose as her skin became hot to the touch. He stepped away from her and she spun to face him and lifted her arms. Golden light streamed from her pushing them all back against the wall, every agent dropping their weapon in shock at the involuntary movement.

"Okay Rose, I think they get the point," the Doctor told her but she didn't let up. "Rose, stop it." He stepped towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She spun round as if in shock and he was flung back hard against the wall.

With a groan the Doctor rubbed his head. "Jack get out and back to the TARDIS."

"No way. We're not leaving you," the ex-Time Agent told him stepping towards Rose.

"Don't touch her." The Doctor hauled himself up. "Rose? It's okay, its' only me." In the blink of an eye he leapt forward and wrapped his arms around Rose, pinning her arms and hands between them. "Martha, get those weapons out of reach. Jack, I need you to hold her for me."

Jack stepped up and wrapped his arms around Rose, leaving the Doctor free to extract himself.

"I seem to be doing this a lot today." Placing one hand at the back of Rose's head and one at the front he waited until she passed out.

"What did you do?" Jack asked, supporting the girl's dead weight.

"Just knocked her out for a bit. We need to get off this space station." He took off his coat and wrapped it around her, scooping Rose out of Jack's arms he turned towards the door, only to be blocked by more Agents.

"Where did they come from?" Martha asked.

"What is going on here?" the new female Agent demanded. "Agent Brennan? Care to explain to me exactly what is happening here?"

"Escaped prisoners, Ma'am." Agent Brennan said. "We were trying to round them up."

The woman eyed the four visitors, "Johnson, take these four to a holding room while I get this sorted."

As the four passed she gave Jack a meaningful look and a slight nod.

XxXxX

"It's going to be okay," Jack sighed sitting on the floor.

"What makes you say that?" the Doctor asked, settling Rose on the cot.

"Dunno there was just something about the way that Agent looked at me before they locked us back in here. I get the feeling I used to know her. I also get the impression that Agent Brennan isn't as in charge as he likes to make out."

"Well that much is a given," the Doctor sighed settling himself next to Jack, resting back against the cot.

"What about Rose? What was that all about?" Martha asked, sitting the other side of Jack, who instinctively rested his arm along the mattress behind them as she laid her head wearily on his shoulder.

The Doctor sighed and rubbed his face. "Bad Wolf. She did something similar on the game station when she destroyed the Daleks. I suppose the energy transference built up the energy giving her the power to do that. Only problem is she didn't really know what she was doing and can't control it."

"Do you think she'll be able to do it again?"

"I should think so. Now it's there it's like a hidden weapon. Looks like I've got some serious training to do before our next outing."

"Training?"

"Time Lords have the ability to do it but it's trained out of us at a very early age to the point that without a power source for a boost we can't use it. Rose however just used my energy as a battery. I don't even know if she was consciously doing it or not. When she was on the game station she wasn't really with it and when it was all over she didn't remember much of what happened."

"Lucky her," Jack mumbled.

"Yeah," the Doctor sighed again and closed his eyes, rubbing his fingers through his hair.

"Why? What happened?" Martha asked looking up at the men.

"We died," Jack told her. "We died trying to save the universe from the Daleks and in the end we still failed. It was Rose that saved us all. She killed the Emperor and the Daleks. All that survived were the Cult of Skaro."

"The four we met?"

"Yup, good old Daleks Caan, Sec, Jast and Thay," the Doctor grumbled. "But we didn't know about them until the battle at Torchwood. As far as Rose and I knew the Daleks were destroyed. The Cult of Skaro were hiding in a void ship, had been ever since the Time War. They always find away to survive."

"But they're gone now."

"Not quite. Still got Caan out there somewhere. Emergency Temporal Time Shifts. The cowards always run."

"Fight or flight, Doc. Every remotely intelligent species has the instinct." Jack reminded him.

"And technically I died saving Rose, not the universe. She didn't give me that option."

Rose shifted slightly on the cot pulling everyone's attention.

"Don't we have to do anything for her?" Jack asked.

"Nope, just wait for her to come round. Her brain will let her when it's ready to. And to be honest, after the day she's had, it's probably best to leave her to sleep." He shifted slightly as his whip marks stung a little harder at the mere thought. Looking round he saw Martha appeared to be sleeping on Jack's shoulder. "Looks like you've made a friend."

Jack looked round and smiled. "Well it's been an eventful few hours and she's probably a little out of practice with our rough and tumble way of living..."

The Doctor leant forward and stripped his suit jacket to wrap round her shoulders. Martha snuggled into the jacket's warmth and sighed.

"So do all your companions fall for you or is just this new body of yours?" Jack teased.

The Doctor opened his mouth to answer but was silenced by a groan from Rose.

"Oww," Rose moaned, pressing a hand to her head. "How much did I drink last night?"

Jack couldn't help but chuckle. "Hey Rosie, feeling rough?"

"I…" She gingerly sat up and took in her surroundings. "I didn't go drinking last night did I?"

"Sorry honey, that headache is not alcohol induced," Jack told her smiling softly.

"Other than the headache how are you feeling?" the Doctor asked, rising onto his knees and turning to look at her.

"Odd."

He chuckled. "Odd how?"

"I dunno, just…..odd. I had the weirdest dream though. We were all stood in this room with…" he voice trailed off as she saw the looks on her friend's face. "That wasn't a dream was it?"

"'Fraid not. You really did throw the Doctor across the room," Jack told her.

Her eyes widened and shone as she raised a hand to her mouth in shock.

"Nicely put Jack," the Doctor growled rolling his eyes.

"Did I hurt you?" Rose whispered.

"After the day we've had it was a light relief," he told her with a soft smile. "I'm fine Rose, just worried about you. Do you know what happened?"

"It was Bad Wolf wasn't it? I could hear that singing I heard before and it definitely wasn't you." The corner of her mouth twitched remember how his past self had lied and told her he'd sung a song and scared the Daleks away. "I didn't really know what I was doing I just got so scared and angry…" her voice trembled.

The Doctor hauled his weary body onto the cot beside her and pulled her into a gentle hug. "It's alright now. You're back and we're all safe."

"But what if it happens again? What if I really hurt someone?"

"Ah see now you think I haven't thought about that don't you?! Shame on you Rose Tyler, underestimating me again. I can help you on that score. We were trained from a very young age on the use of that power to the point of impotence," he heard Jack snigger and he tapped him lightly on the back of the head. "Behave. As I said, we were trained to suppress the power to the point where it's impossible to use without a power source present. But we were trained on how to use it safely when he had the opportunity."

"So I'm not going to kill anyone?"

"No, you're not going to kill anyone." He felt her relax into him and he sighed in relief. Now all they needed to do was get back to the TARDIS and get out of this place.

XxXxX


	16. Chapter 16

" _Toni-i-ight, I'm gona have myself a real good time, I feel ali-i-i-ive, and the wo-o-orld; we'll turn it inside out yeah, I'm floating around in ecstasy so,"_ Jack pointed at the Time Lord.

The Doctor chuckled _"Don't stop me now, don't stop me 'cause I'm having a good time, having a good time. I'm shooting star raking through the sky, like a tiger defying the laws of gravity, I'm a racing car passing by like lady Godiva I'm gona go, go, go there's no stopping me-e-e,"_

" _Oh I'm burning through the sky yeah, 200 degrees that why they call me Mr Fahrenheit, I'm travelling at the speed of light, I'm gona make a supersonic man out of you."_

The cell door slid open and four Agents stepped inside.

No one made a move to even acknowledge their presence, the Doctor remained lying on the cot, Rose draped across him, both with their eyes closed while he and Jack continued to sing loudly, causing both girls to giggle and join in on the parts they knew.

Jack had stretched himself out on the floor beside the cot; keeping Martha comfortably snuggled into his shoulder.

A female voice cleared her throat.

"Suppose that means we should stop," Jack sighed, not moving from his spot.

"If we must. I was having such a good time," the Doctor sighed in response, wincing as he began to move, "come on Rosie-Posy, time to get up."

"But I'm comfy," Rose moaned.

"We can get comfy again later," he told her, painfully propping himself up on his elbows, waiting for her to sit up. "And to what do we owe this pleasure?" the Doctor asked finally eyeballing the Agent.

"I think introductions are in order first. I'm Agent Heley and I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Martha narrowed her eyes. "Why are you being so nice? You've got no right to be nice after what you lot have done."

Heley visibly winced at the statement. "I realise this all must be very confusing for you all but please let me explain. Things aren't always what they seem. Your friend Jack here was being tracked and he is wanted by the Time Agency. Our main objective was to retrieve the Blaster and destroy it and all workings on it. We realised how dangerous it could be, it was a large miscalculation. We were in the process of finding a safe way of disposing it when Jack stole it. The deal was if he returned it then all outstanding warrants would be cleared, he would be a free man."

"And where did torturing my friends come into it? Nothing about this adds up," Jack spat.

"It won't Jack," the Doctor said standing up. "She's in charge on this base, not Brennan. Somehow she was disposed of leaving him in charge to do as he pleases. He wanted the weapon for himself not the Agency."

"You are correct Doctor. We were drafted to investigate the destruction of Telos…."

"Only you got there to find Telos was still in one piece and a dead star had been destroyed instead."

"Yes, your handy work I presume."

"I take what ever action necessary. You have some fine equipment and some brilliant but dangerous minds working for you Agent Heley."

"So it would seem. I'm sorry Doctor; none of this was in our plan. But we do need that Blaster."

"Why? I can destroy it far safer than you can."

"Then why haven't you?"

"I like to tinker. I was hoping with a bit of jiggery-pokery I could make it safe. After all, take away the black holes it can create and it's a pretty useful tool. Unfortunately everything I tried failed and then I sort of forgot about it." His voice trailed off.

"You forgot about it?" Jack asked incredulously.

"You try regenerating and remembering every little detail of 900 years! Look I'll destroy it."

"Fine, but I want to be there," Agent Heley told him.

The Doctor regarded her for a moment. "Fine but it won't be anything spectacular to see."

XxXxX

"There," the Doctor said as they pulled away from the black hole. "Gone; never to return. Told you it wouldn't be spectacular."

"Thank you Doctor. I truly am sorry," Agent Heley said.

"Yeah," he fiddled with the control panel, not bothering to look up at her.

"I suppose I should be getting back."

"Yes I think you should."

Agent Heley nodded and looked at the other occupants. Most were watching the Doctor as if waiting for their cue to do something feeling very awkward.

"Right then," she tapped at her Time Vortex Manipulator. "Jack, you don't have to worry. The Time Agency will never bother you again."

Jack nodded. "Safe Travels Agent Heley." He gave her a mock salute as she faded away, which turned into a salute of the two fingered kind.

"So that's it? It's over?" Martha asked.

"Yup," the Doctor popped his 'p' trying to sound cheerful when all he felt was weary and fed up. After all they'd been through today, he was the cause in the end. He had what they wanted. "I'm sorry," he told them quietly.

"What for?" Jack asked leaning against the control panel.

"I had what they wanted."

"You didn't know what they wanted until it was too late," the former Time Agent reassured him.

"But I should have. I should have remembered I had something that was theirs. Especially something that dangerous." He raked his fingers through his hair and tugged.

"Past is past, Doc. After everything you've done you can't remember every little thing."

"I blamed you."

"Hell I'd blame me too! Let's face it out of the two of us I get us into more trouble."

"Dunno about that. Although you do seem to end up naked more than us," Rose giggled.

Jack grinned at the Doctor. "Rosie's right. Plus ending up naked and in trouble is far more dangerous. Or fun depending on what planet you're on." He waggled his eyebrows and the Doctor chuckled, shaking his head.

"Right. I suppose I should be getting Martha home," the Doctor said, rubbing his face.

"Can we eat first 'cause I'm starving?" Rose asked hopefully.

"Chips?"

"Always! With salt and vinegar. No newspaper though I'm afraid. Whaddaya say Martha? Fancy some?"

"You know, I wasn't hungry until you said that. Sounds brilliant!"

"Excellent. You coming Doctor?"

"I'll be along in a little while. Just want to check the TARDIS over and get her away from here."

"Okay, don't take too long." She smiled and lead Jack and Martha out of the control room.

XxXxX

"Mmm, if the Doc doesn't hurry up there won't be anything left," Jack pointed out, grabbing another chip.

"These are great," Martha agreed. "Think he's okay? He seemed a bit…. We'll more like the Doctor I know actually."

"I'll give him a few more minutes then check on him. He's probably mentally beating himself up for something," Rose smiled biting down on another chip, savouring the tart taste of the vinegar.

XxXxX

The Doctor watched his monitor completely transfixed. He couldn't understand why the TARDIS would bring him here. Then he saw it. The co-ordinates made his blood run cold but as the view scrolled across the screen the Doctor saw something that made his hearts swell. Running to the doors he threw them open and breathed in the smell of space, letting the breeze ruffle his hair. He sat dangling his legs over the edge and watched in awe, the colours bathing him in an ethereal glow. He would never ever get bored of a sight like this, every one was different. Different colours, different shapes and sizes. And each one made him feel differently. This one made him feel hopeful and humble and for a change, glad to be alive.

"Doctor?" Rose's voice drifted across the control room. "Everything alright?"

"Everything is fantastic," he called back, not able to tear his gaze away from the dust clouds.

"What's put you in such a good mood?" she asked, sitting down beside him.

He pointed out to the view in front.

"That's beautiful."

"A stellar nursery, we're watching stars being born."

"That's what put you in such a good mood? We could have done this ages ago."

"Ah but then I wouldn't have been able to do this." He pulled out the piece of Gallifrey and bounced it in his hand a few times. Once Jack had detached the rock form the control panel he Doctor found it held no more power at all, now it was just an ordinary rock. "Funny how such a small thing can hold so many memories." Drawing his arm back he threw it out into space.

"What did you do that for?"

"I'm sending it home. This bit of space used to be Kasterborous. The dust and rocks floating around, being crushed together in that stellar nursery; they're all that's left of Gallifrey. The universe is using my home to create new stars. A phoenix from the ashes." He turned to look at her, his eyes sparkling.

Rose could help but grin at the joy on his face. "Gone but not forgotten," she said.

The Doctor returned her grin and wrapped his arms around her. "Where are Jack and Martha?"

She bit her lip and started to giggle as she pulled back.

"What?"

"I think you may have competition for Martha's affections in the shape of the Captain."

"Really? Thank god for that! Although Jack? Not really someone I'd recommend getting too close to."

Rose shrugged. "Oh I dunno; if you're just after a bit of fun on the re-bound I think Jack's the perfect candidate."

"Speaking from experience?" He raised an eyebrow with a playing gleam in his eye.

She regarded him for a moment, revelling in the playfulness that had returned to his demeanour.

"Maybe." She poked her tongue out between her teeth.

"Oh really?" He tried to look indignant and shocked and failed as Rose leaned in to kiss him.

"Hey Doc," Jack called.

"Speak of the Devil," the Doctor sighed.

"Your Martha is a little genius."

"This is news?" he smiled softly at the pair and Martha blushed.

"We know how to fix you."

"Fix me? Jack I think some things are beyond that. The running repairs are working just fine and Rose did a pretty good job. See I smile more these days."

Jack frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Fixing me. What are you talking about?"

"The fact you can't leave the TARDIS and run without your lungs giving out."

"Things take time Jack." The Doctor stood, helping Rose to her feet, closed the TARDIS doors and crossed to the consol.

"But there's a quicker way that you didn't tell us about. Don't tell me you hadn't thought about it." Jack pulled a vial out from his pocket and shook it, making it light up.

"I like doing things the old fashioned way. I don't like to meddle."

"Except when it comes to cuts and bruises?"

"They're just an annoyance. Surface wounds. What you're suggesting is far different."

"How?" Martha asked, taking the vial from Jack.

"Because they'd go inside. Thanks for the thought but I'll let nature take its course."

"Come on Doc, what harm could it do?" Jack asked, wondering what would be so bad about the Doctor taking the easy way out. He uncorked the tube and the Nanogenes flew at the Doctor.

"No!" he yelled ducking as they flew straight at him like a swarm of bees.

"Doctor?" Rose called moving towards him.

"No Rose! Stay away. Stay well away." He ran for the corridor, waving his arms frantically.

"Don't be such a baby," Jack called, a confused look gracing his face.

Martha moved to the archway but paused as they heard the Doctor yell out. There was a loud thud and then all they could hear was the Doctor yelling 'no' over and over.

Rose looked from Jack to the door and back again, fear plain on all their faces. She moved to follow the Doctor.

"Rose wait; he told you to stay away."

"I can't just leave him. We have to help him."

"And we are. He's fussing now but the Nanogenes will help him," Martha said sounding more unconvinced than she'd intended. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. The Doctor was supposed to be happy about it not running away.

Rose shook her head. "No, something's not right. Why didn't he use the Nanogenes before if they could help him? Why did he carry on suffering?"

"He likes to be old fashioned sometimes?" Jack shrugged.

They all looked to the door as the Doctor's yells stopped. Suddenly the TARDIS burst into life, the central column began moving and the ship shuddered.

"What's she doing?" Jack ran to the control panel as Rose dashed up the corridor towards the Doctor, Martha hot on her heels.

"London? Why are we going to London?"

' _This is emergency programme four.'_ The Doctor's image appeared on the walkway above Jack, flickering blue as something that looked like a binary code distorted him. _'If this message has been activated, then it can only mean one thing. I'm dead or dying with no chance of regeneration, yes Jack it really can happen, and you're on board stuck somewhere in time and space. I'm sure if any of us survive it'll be you Jack, being the man that can't die and I know you'll save Rose before me because that's what we'd both do. I'm also pretty sure that you have something to do with why this message is playing.'_ The image grinned. _'Just kidding. Listen the TARDIS is taking you both back to London. The Powell Estate to be exact. I'm not sure if Rose will want to stay there when I'm gone but she has the option. The other is to live in the TARDIS. You both have keys and have basic knowledge of how it works and she seems pretty fond of the pair of you so I'm sure you'll have no trouble from her. But what ever you do, don't let anyone else take her. If Rose decides to stay on Earth I want you to break the key in the lock and let the TARDIS die. I promised I would never abandon you again, neither of you. I only travel with the best and we can't have the best floating around in space now can we? Take care of Rose for me. Tell her I love her. Goodbye Captain and thank you.'_

The image fizzled out and Jack stood staring at the empty space. There must have been a malfunction, the Doctor wasn't dead; he couldn't be. Nanogenes don't kill people they heal. The Doctor had used them a little while ago to heal his and Rose's cuts and bruises. The TARDIS must've lost its marbles Jack decided then yelped as the control panel sparked.

Shaking his head he stepped away and moved to follow the girls. His heart stopped as he heard one of them scream.

XxXxX

* * *


	17. Chapter 17

"Who are you? How did you get here?" Martha demanded as Rose stood staring at the man sat on the floor of the med-bay.

The man frowned. "Not now," he said breathlessly then frowned at the sound of his voice.

"What….what happened?" Rose asked kneeling down in front of him.

"Wait a sec." With a shaky hand he reached up and touched his hair. It was shorter than before. "Rose?" He looked up at her and ran his fingers down his forehead and nose. "I've regenerated?"

"No, you haven't." She reached up and ran her hand over his short cropped hair. "Although this look definitely goes better with that beaten up leather jacket."

Scrambling to his feet, the Doctor ran to the nearest reflective surface. Staring back at him was a world weary man with blue eyes. He nodded taking events in and then a pain flashed through his chest.

"Ouch. What's that all about?" He winkled his nose at the familiar northern accent that left his lips and pressed a hand to his chest.

"Rose!" Jack yelled from the corridor, his pounding footsteps echoing off the walls. "What happened? What is it?" He skidded to a halt in the doorway.

"I told you to let nature take its course but you wouldn't listen. Stupid apes had to do it your way, when will you learn? When will either of you learn? When I say no I mean no!" the Doctor growled.

Martha was looking at the Doctor warily, as if she didn't quite believe who he was. "Stupid apes?" she repeated.

"Yes you lot, humans." His gaze snapped to her. "A nation of stupid apes and I got the pick of the bunch!"

"Who do you think you're calling a stupid ape?!"

"I said no, I told you to let things be, to carry on in their own sweet time but no. You had to try and take the easy way out. Didn't it occur to you that I was suffering through with good reason?!"

"The TARDIS was playing emergency programme four. It said you were dead. Gave me a heart attack. Geez," Jack sighed with relief.

"That's because you killed me," the Doctor said looking back at Jack.

"What are you talking about? You're standing right here,"

The Doctor shook his head. "The Doctor's dead." He took Rose's hand and pressed it against his chest, his eyes never leaving Jack's. "Only one heart. Can't be a Time Lord with only one heart."

Rose looked up at his face sadly, not knowing what to say.

Jack moved further into the room his gaze held by the Doctor's intense blue eyes, a mixture of fire and ice flickering within. That's when he realised. Blue eyes! Jack looked the man up and down. He was broader than before, the suit was too small for him and his hair was far shorter. His face stony and angular and to top it off, Jack now noticed the northern accent. "Wait… how…I don't understand."

"The Nanogenes were programmed by you and Martha when you handled the vial. For the most part you're two normal human beings so they decided I should be too. As for the face, this is how you see me Jack, so they obliged. They've healed my lungs but they've taken away one of my hearts and respiratory-bypass system. I'm human again. An ordinary ape. Congratulations, you finally succeeded." The Doctor walked out of the medi-bay.

"In what?" Jack asked following him.

"In getting your payback." He whirled round to see Martha, Rose and Jack staring in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ever since you've been back on my ship I can't help but notice that every situation we've been in it's nearly always me that gets tortured in some way. Aside from the fact you work for Torchwood, I know you haven't forgiven me for leaving you behind and I had your blaster. Well Captain. You win. You've beaten the last Time Lord." He turned and headed for his room.

Jack looked round at Rose and Martha. "He thinks I set all this up? I didn't…. I'd never. Sure I was mad 'bout being left behind but I couldn't betray him like that."

"I'll talk to him," Rose told him, offering a small but unconvincing smile.

"You believe me right?"

"'Course."

XxXxX

"Theta?" Rose called popping her head round the bedroom door. His suit was thrown on the floor but he wasn't there. Sighing she turned and looked up the length of the corridor, wracking her brain for the slightest hint of where he might be. The TARDIS was no help at all; it didn't even acknowledge his presence. There was a crash from down the hall and Rose smiled as she heard a familiar Northern sounding curse.

She hesitated as she reached to wardrobe door. She knew he was still her Doctor, alien or not but seeing her first Doctor in front of her was quite a shock and she wasn't sure if it was an unpleasant one or not.

XxXxX

"Can you explain what the hell just happened? What did he mean 'this is how you see me?'"

"That's how he looked when I met him." He saw the confused look on her face. "He never explained regeneration to you?"

Martha shook her head.

Jack flopped on the sofa and patted the cushion next to him. "Time Lords have this trick where they can regenerate every cell in their bodies if they're dying. It means he's still the same person just looks different and sometimes I guess they have a slight personality change. The Doctor you know is far different to the Doctor I first met."

"How'd you mean? Other than looks wise I mean."

"Well, if he's completely reverted back to his previous incarnation then he's moody, blunt, a tad intimidating and much less cuddly. You're Doctor is much warmer than he ever was."

"Even with Rose?"

"Ah, now that depends on the way you look at it. I never saw what they were like together after his regeneration, before they got separated, you know, the pre-lover phase. Rose was always at the heart of everything though when I was around, one way or another. The Doc is pretty fond of humans; sometimes I'd think he had a bit of a fetish for them. But Rose met him after the Time War which you already know and cold and hard as he could be, Rose softened him up. She was his best friend I suppose. His only friend really. Like he said, she saved him."

"What I don't get is saved from what?"

"Himself."

XxXxX

"Hello," Rose called calmly as she walked through the door to the wardrobe.

The Doctor grunted.

' _Back at that stage are we?'_ she thought, remembering why her first Doctor infuriated her at times. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find something to wear."

"What's wrong with your suit?"

"Doesn't fit." He turned to face her, his blue eyes shimmering. "Everything's changed Rose. I'm back to where I started when we met."

"Not everything," she stepped towards him and noticed the scar on his chest was gone. "Well almost everything maybe but it doesn't change the fact you're still my Doctor. My Theta, Time Lord or not. You're still the same man, sort of. A bit grumpier maybe and broader. But you're still the same man, isn't that what you said when you regenerated?"

He nodded. "I was sort of fond of Ten."

"Ten?"

"Tenth body."

"Oh, and you don't like this one?"

"Not really," he said turning back to the rail and pulling a jumper over his head.

"Why?"

"Because every time I look in a mirror at this stupid face I see the time war."

"You know what I see? The man who saved my life, and I don't just mean literally. You always say I saved you but it works both ways. I'd be stuck working in a fish and chip shop or a butcher's if I'd left Henricks any earlier. I'd be miserable in a dead end job and mum wouldn't have Pete."

"You'd have Mickey," he pointed out.

"And that wouldn't be fair on me or him. Mickey was my best friend and I loved him but look how easily I gave him up. One mention of time travelling with you and I'm off."

"Not exactly Hobson's choice though was it?" He bent to tie his shoe laces, not looking at her once.

"Maybe not but if I loved him that much then how come all I wanted was to be with you?"

"Because I was different, I could show you different things. Things you'd probably never even dreamed about."

Rose shook her head, "I realised what I was missing. Me and Mickey were easy company, could sit in silence watching t.v for ages, he made me laugh and was the best mate I could ask for. Thing is we mistook it for something more than it was."

"Micks didn't, he loved you, probably still does and always will."

"Okay then _I_ mistook it. I loved him, 'course I did, he just…..well I realised he wasn't what I wanted" she shrugged. "Loved you more, even with this daft old face."

"When did you realise that?" He asked standing and finally looking at her with his sapphire eyes.

"What that I loved you or that Mickey wasn't right for me?"

"Both."

"Well I knew something wasn't right when he darted out of the TARDIS and clung on to me, absolutely terrified of you and the ship."

The Doctor chuckled.

"As for you, I guess I didn't realise it at the time but it started when you took my hand."

"Which time?" he raised an eyebrow, he'd taken her hand thousands of times.

"Well," she leant back against the hand rail of the nearest staircase, "I guess the first flicker was when you took my hand and I felt the Earth turning. I knew then that you were going to haunt me. The full blown thing was in Downing Street in that board room. You could save the world but lose me; that was it, I was a goner" She smiled her biggest smile. "We'll find a way to fix things."

"Jack used up all the Nanogenes."

"Then we'll find some more."

"They can change you back too. They can fix what the Time Vortex has done. You know that?"

"I sort of figured that's why you told me to stay away from you when they swarmed, but I don't want to be fixed. Besides to do that we need Nanogenes and if we had those we would be fixing you right, 'cause the universe needs the Doctor. Come on, let's find the other two and figure out what the plan is." She saw the hesitation on his face. "You don't really think Jack's out to get you do you?"

"I honestly don't know Rose. I didn't trust him when we met him and I'm starting to wonder if my first instincts were right." He took a deep breath looking Rose squarely in the eyes. "He scares me," he told her before leaving the wardrobe.

Rose followed him down the corridor practically running to keep up.

"What do you mean he…?" she was cut off as the Doctor raised his hand to silence her. His movements slowed as they approached the living room door. They could hear Martha and Jack talking.

"Time Lords were a powerful race from what I understand and little is really known about them. But it seems they walked a fine line between quiet, peaceful Gods and vengeful ones."

"That's not hard to believe," Martha muttered.

Jack snapped his head round to look at her.

Outside Rose took the Doctor's hand in reassurance. He was staring at the wall opposite, listening. She knew he didn't like talking about his life to anyone at the best of times but Rose had heard this before, he'd told her of the evil his race were capable of, luckily it rarely happened, or so he said. But she knew he wouldn't like this. His blue eyes looked like they could burn a hole in the wall any second and the muscle in his jaw twitched as he ground his teeth.

Definitely more of her first Doctor in there than the playful scientist she'd been with. She missed his soulful brown eyes looking down at her, the warmth that spread through her when they sparkled. She'd loved the Doctor no matter how he looked, she couldn't help it but something about her first Doctor was pricklier than she was now used to. But, she told herself resolutely, even if they couldn't change him back, she would still love him and they'd work round it. They had to; she couldn't bear to lose him a third time.

"You know he turned human for a while to hide?"

He nodded.

"Well the Family didn't die out quickly enough and tracked him. Started ripping the town apart and killing people, trying to draw him out. Eventually John Smith made the decision to leave the woman he loved to become the Doctor again and save everyone."

"Sounds like him," Jack nodded for her to continue.

Rose looked back up at the Doctor to find him gazing down at her, his eyes sparkling with something that looked like guilt.

"He wasn't you," she whispered.

"He's part of me."

"It's past. I wasn't there. You can't control who you fall in love with let alone who John Smith falls for. Besides, if I'd been there maybe it would have been me." She smiled as he leant down to kiss her briefly on the forehead.

"The Family needed him so they could feed off him and live forever or something, he never really explained that part, there wasn't time. He defeated them but still gave them their wish."

Jack didn't like the sound of what was coming.

"He split The Family up. He wrapped Father in unbreakable chains, Mother he tricked into falling into a collapsing galaxy; he trapped the little girl in every mirror in existence. He still visits her once a year, and he suspended the Son in time, dressed him like a scarecrow and dumped him in a field."

Jack shivered. "That is kind of dark. But I'm sure he's capable of worse."

"Count on it," a voice came from the doorway making them both jump.

"Doc." Jack jumped to his feet trying to adjust to the sight of his former friend. "I didn't realise what would happen you have to believe me." He stepped forward and the Doctor stepped back. "Doc, you have to believe me, if you don't who else will?"

"I don't know what to believe Harkness. I didn't trust you when we first met and like I said to Rose, I wonder if I should have trusted my instincts."

"How can I prove it to you? Doc, you made me a better person, you know you did. If it wasn't for you I'd still be living like a coward and conning people out of their life savings or something. I wasn't a good person; I know that, but we all have our faults and things we should atone for."

"Like me leaving you behind you mean?"

"I wanted to punch you, hell sometimes I wanted to kill you but I couldn't and not because you're my only hope of being normal again but because…..ah hell Doc, 'cause I love you. You're the only thing that keeps me going these days. I need you."

Martha and Rose exchanged looks as they both felt the tension in the room rise. Rose saw the muscles in the Doctor's back twitch through his jumper.

"And you scare me," the Doctor told him after a long pause. "You can survive anything, you can live forever. You can be shot and stabbed without a scar to show for it. You're not normal Jack. You shouldn't exist."

"That's not my fault," Jack said quietly, trying to remember if he'd heard this Doctor ever admit he was scared.

"No it's mine. I never stopped to consider that you would come back. That you would track me across thousands of years."

"Then why did you come for me?"

"I didn't have a choice, you opened the rift. I had to play clean up crew, make sure you'd done the job right."

"You didn't make me leave."

"No you're right. I didn't. Ten is more trusting of people than I am."

"Ten?" Martha asked.

"Your Doctor," Jack explained. "This is Doctor number nine."

"Your Doctor," she confirmed.

"Right."

"Wrong." The Doctor told them. "I don't know who I am. Ten's still in here somewhere. Don't know when or if he'll show but he's still in here."

"So does that make you number eleven?" Jack asked feeling more and more lost.

"No, I haven't regenerated. I don't exist anymore. I'm not a Time Lord anymore, the TARDIS can't recognise me because she felt me die when one of my hearts went and I have no history on earth or anywhere else. Like I said Jack. You killed me."

"We can put it right though can't we?" Martha asked, seeing Jack's eyes shimmer with sadness.

"Got any Nanogenes hiding up your sleeve?" Rose asked gripping the Doctor's hand and squeezing. He didn't squeeze back.

"You let them all out of the vial. They're gone. Unless we can find more this is it, one heart and a very short life." The Doctor's voice was completely unemotional, as if he wasn't talking about himself.

XxXxX


	18. Chapter 18

"Oh you're only forty if you're a day you got at least another forty," Jack told him.

"Maybe. Forty what though, years? Months? Days? Hours? How about minutes? I don't know if my body has fully adapted to having the one heart."

"But you said…"

"I said the Nanogenes had removed the bits that don't belong in a human. Doesn't mean they've reprogrammed my body to cope without them. My body has lived with two hearts and a respiratory-bypass system for over nine hundred years."

"Shit," Jack muttered. "So we hunt down more Nanogenes."

"Yeah. Where do we start?" Martha asked, watching the dark look the Doctor was giving Jack swing to her.

"We?" he asked.

"Yeah. W…why are you looking at me like that? What don't you trust me either now?"

"I don't know Martha. Not anymore."

"I've saved your life more than once. I've never given you reason not to trust me!"

"Listening at doors? Running out of the TARDIS telling the Time Agency who I am…was?"

"Theta," Rose warned "she didn't mean to."

"I can defend myself thank you very much," Martha snapped and the Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"I'll get on to my guys and see what they can find," Jack said, changing the subject. "Doc, I'll set things right, I promise."

The Doctor regarded him again for a moment.

"Let him try Theta," Rose whispered squeezing his hand again. Finally he nodded and Jack let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Pulling out his mobile Jack put it to his ear.

"Tosh? Yeah hi, listen I need your help…Uh, you could say that yeah. I need you to track down some Nanogenes… that's what I said…. Um, hang on. Doctor, do they have any kind of signature to latch onto?"

The Doctor held out his hand and Jack handed him the phone. Turning on his heel the Doctor left the room talking quietly into the device.

The three stood in silence for a while.

"I'm sorry Rosie," Jack said finally.

"I know. Just promise me you didn't want this; that you don't want to hurt him and I'll believe you."

"I swear on my eternal life that I would never do anything to hurt either of you."

Rose nodded "Then we keep our fingers crossed."

"It could take forever to find more Nanogenes. The only reason I had them in the first place was because I'd stolen a Chula ship and they aren't likely to just hand some over if asked. They're a savage bunch."

"So what do we do? We don't know how long Theta's got."

"Theta?" Martha asked.

"The Doctor," Jack told her. "Well the TARDIS landed in London." He watched Rose's eyes widen. "While we weren't looking he created an emergency programme. If he dies without a chance of regeneration then the TARDIS takes us back to the Powell Estate where we have the choice of living in the ship and carry on travelling or in your flat."

"How'd you know he did it recently?" Rose asked.

"He addressed me, said he knew that if anyone was to survive it'd be me and that I'd save you before him."

"The price of being immortal, always surviving."

"If he stays in London we can get back to him quicker, land a little while after we leave, otherwise he's stuck on here with time ticking away."

"The Doctor has a name?" Martha asked, still not getting past the point. "He always said he didn't have one."

"Everyone has a name; just no one could ever pronounce a Gallifreyan one. Theta Sigma is his nickname from college. And very few people know about that," Jack explained.

"I suppose it's about time I went back out there," Rose sighed, nausea settling in her stomach.

"Out where?" the Doctor asked walking back through the doors and tossing the phone back at Jack. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing how pale Rose looked.

"We're back on the estate."

"Oh," he nodded not really sure what to say. "I wanted to give you the option if I wasn't here."

Rose gave him a small smile and nodded. "So what did Tosh say?"

"She's on the case. I managed to get the TARDIS searching too; all I can do is wait. She's going to phone if she finds anything." He ran his fingers over his head and winced at the lack of hair he felt.

"Come on; show me what you've done to my mum's flat." She saw the hesitation in his eyes as he looked over at his other companions. "They'll be fine; if they hear anything they can go hunting and be back before you know they're even gone."

Jack nodded "I'll call you on Rose's mobile the second I hear anything, I swear."

XxXxX

"I can't believe he thinks I'd hurt him, after everything we've been through!" Martha moaned stomping around the control room.

"Martha, calm down. He's had a nasty shock and the old Doctor was less trusting than the Doctor you know. Every regeneration has a different tilt to their personality. Your Doctor is cheeky and boyish; this one was war-torn and older, more suspicious of people. He's the same man with the same memories but sometimes I guess things get altered slightly when he changed."

"You lost me."

"Rose said that when he regenerated it went wrong and he went a bit mad, crashing the TARDIS and from some of the stories the Doctor's told me regeneration can go badly wrong."

"But he says he hasn't regenerated."

"He hasn't but I wonder if the Nanogenes have messed about with his brain a little. He said that I programmed them. So this really is my fault. I'm always comparing the two and at the time I was thinking how he was just as stubborn as his previous self. I'm sorry Martha."

"It's not your fault, he's being a git."

"Go easy on him."

"Why? Why are you being so calm about this?"

"Because I know that deep down he knows there was no intent. It's just gona take his Tenth self's brain a little longer to let him know that. His probably very mixed up"

"What makes you think he'll ever trust us?"

"Because I know him and I know Rose. I know that she will help him see sense."

"Good old Rose."

"Hey! Look I know you like him but it's not Rose's fault he doesn't love you back. She's a great girl. A bit less cheek about her and the he might relax a bit more towards you."

"What reason has he got to be tense?"

"Martha, he's not as oblivious as he sometimes appears. He knows how you feel about him and he notices the way you are with Rose when he's around. He knows Rose isn't going to kick off but he doesn't know about you. Fighting to do the opposite to Rose in every situation isn't exactly helping. I think if you actually got to know her you'd like her."

"I already do like her! I guess that's the problem. She's…nice. She's the sort of girl I'd probably be friends with."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Really? You would have friends from a council estate? No offence but you went to university, bet your parents have a nice house, with a nice big family…"

"Hey. My parents are separated and I live in a flat on my own which I can barely afford. Maybe she wouldn't be someone that I'd meet at university but…. I dunno, I just think we'd be mates. We've shared a laugh over the past few hours."

"Then maybe you should try a bit harder when he's around? Instead of being the ex?"

"I'm not an ex. He never even noticed me." She chuckled deflated. "You know I loved him from the minute I met him. Stuck on the moon and he kissed me,"

"He what?"

"It wasn't a real kiss, it was this genetic transfer thing but I swear it felt like a real kiss. Made my head swim and everything."

"Yeah he has that effect on most people I think."

It was Martha's turn to raise her eyebrows.

"Oh I was about to die. It was nothing, it was all me. I kissed him to…. I dunno really, know what it felt like before I died, I guess."

"So when you said you loved him earlier I'm guessing you didn't mean as a mate, right?"

Jack smiled softly but didn't respond. "I'm going for a shower to kill some time," he threw the phone at her. "Answer it if it rings."

XxXxX

Rose stood in the middle of the estate staring up at the tower block.

"Alright?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah, just a bit…..weird knowing mum's not inside."

"At least I won't get slapped." He nudged her making her giggle.

"Oh really? You seem to be forgetting there'll still be a Tyler inside."

"True. I get the impression she quite likes me though."

"You're so full of it. Hasn't changed much. It's like nothing ever happened."

"What were you expecting?"

"I dunno, some sign of what happened I suppose."

"Come with me."

They walked for a while in silence, the Doctor leading her towards the park as the sun began to set.

"Some things did change," he said finally as he stopped on the path in front of a concrete cube.

"What's that?"

"Take a closer look." He nodded and let go of her hand, watching her carefully as she walked round it.

As she got to the last side she stopped and her hand flew to her mouth. It was then she wished her brown eyed Doctor was there with his arms around her, soft and gentle as she saw Mickey, her mum and her listed on the wall. She practically run round it again scanning for the names of any of her friends but didn't find any.

The Doctor watched, his heart aching as he watched her take in what she was seeing.

Rose looked up at him and he walked to her side taking her hand.

"Thank you," she said.

"What for?"

"Bringing me here. You know none of my friends or listed. Keish and Shareen, not one is listed. Only me, mum and Mickey. It's kinda weird seeing the three of us listed as dead though. What happens if we bump into them?"

"Tell them it was a mistake. You…. Got knocked unconscious and there was no one around to identify you. Or you were off travelling and couldn't get back until now. Doesn't really matter. As long as we don't tell them the truth. Somehow I think telling them you were stuck in a parallel universe might lead them to believe you're loopy."

Rose shivered. "Let's get inside. It's getting dark."

XxXxX

Jack walked back into the living room rubbing his hair with a towel, another wrapped round his waist. "Heard anything?" he asked, making Martha jump.

"No, not a thing." She turned round on the jump seat and flushed at his semi-naked form, her eyes darted all around to find anywhere to look but at him.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar."

"Nothing," Martha squeaked.

"Ohhhh. Aren't you a doctor? Shouldn't you be used to semi naked people?"

"Well, they're not usually walking around dripping wet." She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "So, how do you think the other two are getting on?"

"Not as well as us I'll bet," Jack grinned stepping toward her as she shifted uncomfortably.

"What erm… what makes you say that?"

"Well, your Doctor is a bouncy cute puppy with a sexy nasty bite. The current Doctor is more like some kind of wild cat." He was very close to her now, clearly enjoying how nervous Martha had become. "He's bigger and stronger, with a different kind of bite to him, one that puts you on edge and it feels fantastic."

"Oh… so why don't you think they're not getting on as well as us," she was desperately trying to sound calm, sure that he could hear her heart pounding. He was enjoying it way too much and she could tell. It should have annoyed her and if she could do anything other than try to sound coherent she would walk away.

"Because although she knows he's still the Doctor and she loves him no matter what, Rosie-girl and the Doctor are going to keep a sensible distance while there's any chance of turning him back. Despite what's said in a locker room, guys hate to be compared to each other by a girl. Imagine if you were being compared to yourself? Bigger, longer, harder, stronger, faster, slower in everyway possible. And knowing Rose she'd feel like she's been unfaithful."

"So nothing ever happened between her and the old Doctor then?"

"Not that I know of. Can you imagine him getting any closer to anyone other than holding their hand?"

"The new Doctor certainly likes holding her hand."

"I think he always has. The old Doctor started it but the new Doctor does it all the time. He probably did it to you all the time too."

"No, once or twice when we were in a crowd but he wasn't much of a toucher at all. Rarely hugged me."

He was about to say something when the phone rang.

"Tosh, give me good news…."

XxXxX


	19. Chapter 19

Rose walked into her flat alone, the Doctor hanging back for a while. The place was immaculate. The post was in piles on the unit in the hall, separated between her and her mum. He'd done proper repairs to the walls after the Christmas tree incident. He'd even put a door on the living room, making it completely separate to the rest of the flat. Everywhere was completely spotless. Her Doctor had taken care of everything, shame he wasn't here to thank.

She kicked herself mentally, _he's still the same man_.

_No he's not. He'd never have done this for anyone._

Rose shook her head. It wasn't fair. Something always had to go wrong. ' _They keep trying to split us up'_ she'd once told him and right now it felt more true than ever. Something out there was playing games with them and she was at her wits end.

"Why don't you put the telly on?" she called out to the Doctor. A few moments later she heard the comforting sound of the Lottery programme drift through the door.

She smiled to herself as she went into her room.

"Oi! I thought you said you hadn't done my ironing!" she yelled as she saw her washing in crisp neat piles on her bed.

" _I_ didn't," a grumpy northern voice responded.

"Fine. I thought _Ten_ said he hadn't done my ironing then," she muttered, debating on whether to put it away or in a bag just in case.

"Hey Rose, guess what?"

"What?" she sighed walking towards the living room.

"I just won the lottery."

"What?"

"Well I would have done if I'd actually played." He held up the psychic paper for her to see. "Shame it's not a real ticket. I might need that money."

"Stop it."

"What?"

"Pretending you're alright. You've never been good at it, no matter which face it was. I know you're trying to make me feel better about being here but I'm fine. Really."

"Well what do you want me to do?"

Rose regarded him for a moment. "Be my Doctor."

"Why don't I make some coffee? It's going to be a long night," he said standing from his spot on the sofa and heading to the kitchen.

"You think this is any easier on me?" She followed him and stood in the kitchen doorway. "I dream sometimes that you've died and regenerated and I deal with that just fine, but this? This is different. You haven't just changed your face; you've regressed into a face I already know. It's weird. We were never…. close before you regenerated. You'd hold my hand if we were running and I knew you cared about me but it was different between us after the regeneration wasn't it? You'd hold my hand for no reason and hug me all the time. Now I don't know what to do because I don't really know which one you are."

"You think I do? Everything's so muddled up here, Rose" he tapped his head. "If I knew the answer I would tell you but I don't. I want to be able to tell you it'll all be alright, that everything will go back to the way it was no matter what I look like but I can't. I don't…. I don't even think I can hug you. I want to but I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I know you'll be thinking of me in a different body. It's all different," he waved a hand up and down his body, "and I don't know if it's better or worse, things feel different. When I hold your hand it feels odd. You hand feels so much smaller in mine and everything else…. It feels like I'm inside this glass box wanting to do all the things I'd normally do but I can't."

Rose saw his eyes glass over. She stepped forward, putting her arms around his waist. "We've been through tougher times than this. We're together, that's what matters yeah?" She reached up on tiptoe to kiss him but he pressed his finger to her lips.

"We can't, not yet. Let's wait and see what happens." He watched her frown at him. "I don't want you comparing the two of us if we can have him back."

"Playing devil's advocate and everything, what if we can't? Have him back I mean."

"Then we have to adjust but let's not put anymore unnecessary complications into this situation."

Rose sighed and nodded. He was right, she knew he was. She would be thinking about the differences she felt between the two. Even without meaning to she'd be comparing them.

"So what do we do now?"

"We wait, watch t.v, sleep. Normal things."

"All the things you hate."

"I don't hate t.v; I can just find better things to do. Well, I used to be able to." He handed her a cup of coffee and slid passed her back to the living room.

XxXxX

"Right I'm going to save your blushes and put some clothes on. Don't touch anything 'til I get back."

"Yes Captain." Martha nodded as she watched the semi-naked former Time Agent dance around the consol setting co-ordinates. He and her Doctor we so alike sometimes. They were both so cheeky and full of life at times; she was sure however that Jack had the same melancholy streak the Time Lord did and she was sure it was just as heart breaking. Two halves of the same being? Not likely but there was definitely something that linked the pair other than the Time Vortex, of that much she was sure. She found her eyes were drifting down to the towel at his waist and her cheeks reddened. She closed her eyes against the sight.

"You can look now," Jack whispered in her ear as he brushed passed.

XxXxX

"God this place is horrible. I thought it'd be some kind of paradise," Martha shuddered at the barren land.

"The Chula aren't a friendly race. Don't have much time for anything other than killing. Once they've finished on their own planet they move on and find another to destroy."

"So what hope do we have of find these Nano-whatsists?"

"Nanogenes. I don't know Martha. Tosh said there was a faint signature on the scanners so we have to hope. You know this used to be one of the lushest planets in the universe. Species used to come from all over to see it. Bluest skies you ever did see and plants so green you'd swear it was an illusion, like a mirage in the middle of a desert. You know Chula roughly translates in Spanish as beautiful I've been told. Not sure how true that is, I was never good with Earth languages." Jack looked around him at the dead landscape. Nothing but dirt and darkness surrounded them now. In the distance he could make out what was once a riverbed, now it was just a trench. It broke Jack's heart to see such a beautiful planet destroyed by the very creatures it sustained. "So how'd you end up travelling with the Doc full time any way?" he asked, changing the subject.

"We went on a couple of adventures. It was only meant to be one trip to say thank you for saving his life. I suppose the signs were all there. Plain as day. He never really wanted to talk about himself. Always trying to keep me at arms length. I remember when I first saw the TARDIS,"

_"Oh, no, no"._ _She looked around outside. "But it's just a box. But it's huge. How does it do that? It's wood. It's like a box with that room just rammed in. It's bigger on the inside." She didn't notice the Doctor mouthing the words along with her._

"But is there a crew? Like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?"

"Just me."

"All on your own?"

"Well, sometimes I have guests. I mean some friends, travelling alongside. I had - There was recently a friend of mine. Rose, her name was, Rose. And... we were together. Anyway."

"Where is she now?"

"With her family. Happy. She's fine. Not that you're replacing her."

"Never said I was."

"Just one trip to say 'thanks', you get one trip, then back home. I'd rather be on my own."

"You're the one that kissed me."

"That was a genetic transfer."

"And if you will wear a tight suit..."

"Now... Don't!"

"And then travel all the way across the universe just to ask me on a date..."

"Stop it."

"For the record? I'm not remotely interested. I only go for humans."

"Good. Well, then. Close down the gravitic anomalizer. Fire up the helmic regulator. And finally - the hand brake. Ready?"

"No."

"Off we go." Pulling off the handbrake the TARDIS jolted and shook, knocking the Doctor off his feet.

"Blimey, it's a bit bumpy."

"Welcome aboard, Miss Jones." He stood and shook her hand.

"It's my pleasure, Mr Smith."

"Martha," Jack's warning tone was back.

"I don't mean like that. I mean I knew he wanted someone who wasn't me. He wanted Rose. He was determined that I wasn't staying, even if he did keep me around longer than he'd intended."

" _Just one trip. 'S'what I said. One trip, in the TARDIS, and then home. Although – I suppose we could – stretch the definition. Try one trip to the past, one trip to the future. How do you fancy that?" The Doctor offered her an excited smile._

_"No complaints from me!" Martha told him, absolutely thrilled_

_"How about a different planet"?_

_"Can we go to yours?"_

_The Doctor's excitement disappeared almost immediately and he turned away from her but she didn't notice.  
"Ahh, there's plenty of other places!"_

" _Come on, though! I mean, Planet of the Time Lords, that's got to be worth a look! What's it like?" She sounded like she was urging someone to tell her a bedtime story._

" _Well, it's beautiful, yeah."_

" _Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?"_

" _Suppose it is."_

_"Great big temples and cathedrals!"_

_He was clearly avoiding the topic but Martha didn't notice she was lost in her imagination._

_"Yeah."_

" _Lots of planets in the sky?"_

_For some reason he suddenly felt compelled to describe his home. Maybe it was to reassure himself that he wasn't forgetting. "The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever – slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow."_

_Martha was utterly enthralled. "Can we go there?"_

_"Naah! Where's the fun for me? I don't want to go home! Instead …" He began to dance around the main console, tweaking settings as he went. "This is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth! Second hope of mankind! Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York. Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. One of the most dazzling cities ever built."_

"Both trips went a bit wrong,"

"No surprise there, aliens?" Jack kicked a stone along the ground as they crunched their way towards a hill.

"The first time yeah. He kept saying 'one more trip, just one more and that's it'. In the end I said no, told him it was all or nothing and he let me stay." She wrapped her arms around herself, felling a chill.

"Our lonely Doctor," Jack nodded. "What made you give up on him then?"

"John Smith. When he'd stopped being human, he was so subdued. Always using the fake smile, pretending he was alright. I couldn't decide at first whether it was because he loved Joan or felt guilty and then one morning I realised it wasn't really either. It had all reminded him of what he might have had with Rose; she was never going to stop haunting him."

"If he hadn't have lost her he never would have been brave enough to have anything with Rose. He would have convinced himself there was too much to lose. So what tipped you off anyway? About it leading back to Rose I mean."

"It always does." She shrugged. Looking up at the Time Agent she saw him raise an impatient eyebrow. "He was watching some sort of video on one of the screens. I could hear them laughing over the speakers and I realised, the only time I'd ever heard him laugh was when he'd solved a problem. He never really laughed just for the sake of it, or because he was amused."

"Sorry Martha."

"It was my own fault really. I shouldn't have been listening. Always gets me into trouble. I should have let him leave me behind."

"No, you shouldn't. You should never regret the things you didn't do, Martha. And trust me, if you hadn't stayed you would've regretted the never knowing. Bet it broke his hearts when you left."

"I think they were already shattered."

"Oh now you're just getting sappy," Jack smiled teasingly.

"He looked sad, but then you never really can tell with the Doctor."

"Yeah you can, you just need to learn to read him right." Jack took her hand and pulled her along, up the slope.

XxXxX

"Doctor, can you hear that?" Rose sat upright on the sofa.

"Hear what?"

"Singing."

The Doctor turned to look at her from his place by the window and raised his eyebrows.

"I'll take that as a 'no' then."

"What does it sound like?"

"It just sounds like singing. No words or nothing just this tune."

"Nope, all in your head." He was gazing at her intently and she knew he knew more than he was saying.

"It's the TARDIS isn't it?"

"Could be. I honestly don't know Rose. Does it bother you?"

"Not really, it just sounds so sad. I wish you could hear it."

Sighing the Doctor moved to sit beside her. Picking up her hands he pressed her fingers to his temples. "Think the sound at me, as if you're trying to sing it in your head."

Rose looked at him for a moment then closed her eyes. And then the Doctor could hear it. He recognised the tune; he'd heard it many times over the past couple of years. The TARDIS had sung it when the time war had ended and Rose disappeared from their lives and now she was singing it again, only this time the Doctor could only hear it through Rose.

"It _is_ the TARDIS isn't it?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"Yes, it is." He pulled away and stood.

"She misses you."

"So it would seem."

"Can you always hear her?"

"Not always. I can…. I used to only hear her mood when she wanted me too. Come on you, sleep. It's getting late." He saw the hesitation in Rose's face. "Go on, off with you. I'll be…I'll be right here."

"Right," Rose couldn't squash the disappointment she felt as she stood to kiss him and he turned his head. Determined, Rose pressed a kiss to his cheek and walked brusquely to her bed room, not wanting him to see her upset.

' _Hurry Jack. Please hurry,'_ she silently begged as she buried her face in her pillow and fought not to cry.

XxXxX


	20. Chapter 20

"Jack, why do I get the feeling that we're on a wild goose chase? We've been walking for hours," Martha moaned.

"Have you got any better ideas?" Jack whirled round to face her. "A spare Chula warship perhaps?"

"Don't start on me! I'm just saying, this planet is deserted why on earth would there be any Nanogenes here?"

"Maybe they left some behind. I don't know Martha but if Tosh and the TARDIS say they're here then they're here. They have to be, without them the Doctor's screwed."

"You think I don't know that?"

"The quit moaning and keep your eyes peeled!"

They carried on in silence for a while until Jack suddenly stopped causing Martha to walk into his back.

"What have you stopped for?"

"Miss Jones, I think we may have hit the jackpot." He pointed to a large building on the horizon.

"What is it?"

"I'm hoping it's where they used to make their warships." He looked round and grinned at her before scooping her up and spinning her round.

"Don't get too carried away," Martha laughed. "We don't know there's anything useful in there yet."

"No, true. But a little bit of hope and faith does a man the world of good." He set her back on the ground and swooped in to kiss her.

Martha felt her head spin as all the air left her lungs.

"What was that for?" she panted as he pulled away.

"Just trying to spread the hope," he grinned at her before sauntering off.

Martha stared after him for a moment, waiting for her senses to return to her.

"I know my butt is cute but now's not the time to be watching it Miss Jones!" he called back.

Shaking her head, Martha took off after him, slapping him on the arm as she reached him before they both burst out laughing.

XxXxX

The Doctor started as he heard Rose's phone ring. He dived across to the coffee table, praying it hadn't woken his sleeping companion.

"Jack," he whispered.

"Sorry it's late Doc, time settings aren't brilliant on the old girl, she seems a bit sluggish today. We may have something for you. You want us to come up?"

"No, I'll come down. I don't want to wake Rose." He hung up and crept towards Rose's bedroom door. Peering inside to check she was still asleep the Doctor headed for the TARDIS.

The sight of the strange man in the TARDIS control room was a bit jarring for Martha. There seemed to be no soft edges or warmth to him and she still couldn't quite believe he was the Doctor.

"Look familiar?" Jack asked, unable to stop the grin that was itching at the corners of his mouth. He watched the Doctor step hesitantly towards him, for the first time in that body seeming unsure of himself around his companions.

Taking the vial the Doctor held his breath as he gave it a shake. The contents began to glow and swirl, thousands of tiny golden specs flitting around inside. Nodding the Doctor stalked passed them, a man on a mission, and disappeared down the corridor.

"You're welcome," Martha spat under her breath.

"Wait for it,"

"Thank you Jack, Martha," an unemotional voice called from the corridor.

Martha looked up at the former Time Agent. "How'd…?"

He grinned. "Never one for giving or receiving thanks Doctor number nine, gets embarrassed. Ten isn't much better mind, although he gives thanks more easily than he receives."

A few moments later the Doctor reappeared holding a test tube. "Right Captain, a lesson in…. well in all sorts I suppose." Striding over to the control panel he waited for Jack and Martha to join him. He held up the test tube. "Time Lord DNA. Mine to be exact."

"That's your blood?" Martha asked peering at it closely.

"Well normally it's not frozen obviously."

"But it's red."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "What were expecting, green?"

"I dunno, I never really though about your blood. I mean you were bleeding earlier but it's easy to forget you're…not human until you start talking about stuff like this."

"Right, anyway. Frozen Time Lord DNA…"

"Why do you have it?" Martha interrupted.

"Have what?" he sighed.

"Your frozen blood."

"I needed to run some tests a while back and I needed some of mine to compare the results too. Anyway, as I was saying…"

"What sort of tests?"

The Doctor was glaring at her now. His steely eyes giving nothing away except his annoyance.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Third time lucky. DNA in one jar, Nanogenes in the other. What's next Captain?"

"Something to do with the TARDIS control panel?"

"Gold star," there was no humour in his voice and Jack knew that the Doctor was trying not to get to excited in case this didn't work. He also knew that was why he hadn't woken Rose.

The Doctor crouched down so he could see under the control. "Now where in Rassilion's name did I put…. Aha! Hold this for will you Martha?" he thrust a socket into the girl's hand without waiting for an answer. "Jack, take this and plug it into the socket by the pump handle, the one next to the yellow thing-i-mee-jig."

Jack took the DNA tube and did as he was asked, chuckling at the Doctor. The more excited he got, the more he was his younger self.

"What?"

"I've never heard you say thing-i-mee-jig before."

"Oh you must have, say it all the time, me!"

"Not in that body you don't."

"Yes well." The Doctor wiped his nose and sniffed, getting back to the job at hand. "Martha, I need you to be fast as lightning with this okay? When I uncork the Nanogenes I need you to push that socket over the opening as far as it will go as quickly as possible. We don't want any to escape. Far too dangerous."

"Got that right," she muttered.

"You okay with that?"

She hesitated before she nodded.

"Maybe Jack should…"

"No! I'll do it. It'll be fine."

The Doctor eyed her cautiously.

"Its fine you can trust me," she told him nodding.

The Doctor nodded and began tapping away on the keyboard. "I have no idea if this will even work."

A picture of his tenth self appeared on the monitor.

"She remembers me then," he sighed with relief.

"I have a question," Jack said moving beside him. "If you change the way you look whenever you regenerate, how does she know which face to put with the DNA?"

"Just remembers the last look I had. Time Lord appearance isn't dictated by DNA it's pot luck. The only certainty is that I'll never turn into a woman. Our DNA doesn't hold the key to our personalities either, all it holds is biological information."

"Like which organs are where and how many?" Martha asked.

"Gold star for Martha Jones. You're level pegging."

"So how you look when this is over is down to what?" Jack asked.

"How well my girl programmes the Nanogenes."

"So we're relying on the TARDIS? No pressure on her there then," Martha said biting her lip.

"She'll be fine. I hope. Right then Miss Jones; our turn. Ready?" He began to ease the lid off the vial, his eyes never leaving hers. He paused, holding the lid in place. "On three. One, two, three."

Martha had begun moving on 'two' and prayed. The laugh that filled the air and the chaste kiss to her forehead startled her as she watched a smile spilt the Doctor's. Such a contrast to the seriousness of his demeanour so far. Watching him watch the monitor with glee Martha could finally see the man see knew and wondered how Rose had ever got used to two men who differed in so many ways. Did she ever look at the new him and wish that he was his past self? Had she ever found it hard adapting to any of the strangeness that surrounds his existence? Because right now the Doctor had never seemed more alien to her. She looked over at Jack and found him smiling at her knowingly.

"So what now?" she asked.

"We wait." The Doctor stepped back from the control panel, folding his arms across his chest and stared at the monitor, his shoulders hunched and brow furrowed.

"Coffee?" Jack asked.

The Doctor looked up at him and paused before answering. "Why not," he nodded.

"Coffee?" Martha asked incredulously.

"Well you can have tea if you prefer."

"You and coffee? I didn't think you liked coffee."

"Of course I like coffee."

"But you never touch the stuff."

The Doctor frowned at her. "Ohhh, well Ten and coffee… it's like a hyperactive child on more E-numbers than humanly possible. So he sticks with tea."

"Is it strange? Talking about yourself in the third person and actually meaning it as a third person?"

"I'm only doing it because I'm not myself. Makes it easier to distinguish between normal me and this me. That didn't make much sense did it?"

"Not really," Jack chuckled, "but then neither did the question."

"I think my brain is about to collapse again, maybe it should be tea after all," the Doctor groaned with a twinkle in his eye.

Martha blinked as the two men strolled out the door. "Wait, what do you mean brain collapsing _again_?" she called, trotting after them.

XxXxX

The pouring rain pattered against Rose's window. She'd heard the Doctor leave hours ago. He'd been so distant since they got back to the flat and she couldn't blame him. Being here with him felt wrong somehow, which was silly as he really was the same man. But her first Doctor had spent very little time on the estate unlike her giddy scientist. He'd always protest about going to visit her mum with his 'oh but do we have to?' sounding more like a five year old who'd been told it was bed time than a nine hundred year old alien. But she wondered if he secretly liked a touch of domesticity every now and then. She thought that he might have even liked the way Jackie fussed over him when he'd regenerated.

'It's the eyes' she'd say. 'They just scream _'look after me!'_ can't help it love, mother's instinct. '

Despite her mother's excuses, Rose had come to the conclusion that Jackie loved the Doctor really like a member of the family.

Sighing she watched the shadows play across her window and for the first time in years, prayed to every being she could think of to put things right.

XxXxX

"Would that even fix your brain if you're human? Drinking tea?" Jack asked, setting the mugs down on the kitchen table.

"I have no idea," the Doctor said absently.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Leaving Rose on her own."

"It's only for a little while," Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table

"That's not what I mean. Jack, if this doesn't work…"

"Doc, don't say it."

"Jack we have to be realistic here. We have to look at all the possibilities. If this doesn't work I need you to do something for me."

"What?"

"Look after Rose. You know, be there for her. If I can't get back what I was I'm going to die centuries before her and she has no one else in this universe. I know how that feels and I …." his voice trailed off.

"It's not even a question, Doc, because I won't need to. BUT if the worst happened you know I'd look out for her. We're her family remember? She's like the little sister I never had."

"You'd flirt with your sister? Jack, that is wrong on so many planets," the Doctor gave him a weak smile, changing the subject quickly feeling a little reassured.

Jack caught Martha studying the Doctor as he stared into his mug.

"I'm going to go and see how the old girl is doing," he excused himself from the table and disappeared leaving the awkward friends to themselves.

"So….. this is you from the past."

"Yeah," he didn't look up at her; he just stirred his coffee.

"It's…. different."

"Not as pretty you mean."

"That's not what I said."

"I know, I did. You want to go home?"

"No! I want to stay and help fix this."

"You know, I thought rule one of being a doctor was never force treatment or medication on an unwilling patient," he stood from the kitchen table and moved over to the counter, leaning back against it to watch her.

"Well, it is I suppose."

"Brilliant doctor you're gona be then," he cocked an eyebrow, teasing.

"Look I'm sorry, okay!"

"I was lucky you weren't trying to force feed me aspirin then I would have been for it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Martha you have so much to learn and my Tenth self is too soft with people he cares about at times. Stop trying to impress, trying to outdo the others,"

"By others you mean Rose," she muttered.

"There you go again."

"What?"

"You've got that tone. I may be muddled and a bit out of synch but I'm sure we've had this conversation before and if I filter through my memories I'd probably find it. But I don't have the time. I'm sorry that you _think_ you're in love with Ten and I'm sorry that he doesn't love you the same way. Life doesn't always go the way you want it to and you just have to get on with it."

"Like you, you mean? Pouting over Rose every day."

"Didn't stop him getting on with his life though did it?!"

"Oh no? Ignoring any kind affection that anyone was willing to give?"

"I suppose the 'anyone' is you and that's a love life not real life. He got up every day and carried on saving the universe time and time again."

"But that wasn't living, that was just passing time. Living is taking every moment you can and making the most of it."

The Doctor sighed. "It's a long process Martha Jones. One step at a time. Carrying on as normally as possible was one step. But he was still trying. He always thought you saw him as relatively normal, no pedestal just him. He was so very wrong." He fixed her with a look so full of understanding she'd swear her Doctor was stood there instead. His voice softened as he continued. "You want him to be something he's not. You wanted him to be able to just ignore things in his life that made you uncomfortable. You wanted him to forget Rose and fall in love with you because you thought you were in love with him but you're not. You never were."

"Don't tell me what I feel!" Martha was on her feet practically yelling at him now.

"How can you be in love with someone you hardly know!" he roared, causing her to sit back down.

"I do know you," her voice was barely a whisper.

"No, you don't Martha" he moved towards her and crouched down resting his arms on the table and his chin on his hands. "and that's the problem. You've turned the Doctor into this hero who comes riding to the rescue which is all very well and good, until you have to deal with what's under the armour. Tell me one thing you know about Ten."

"You're from Gallifrey, and you're a Time Lord. You're brave and funny and a genius…"

"Let me just stop you there. Those are just facts Martha, anyone that's met me can say that, doesn't mean they know me… him… Ten. What about the things that make him who he is? Did you know that aspirin can kill us? Not a fact I like to bandy around. Did you know that Ten is a bit of a punk? You didn't even know he could dance. And blunt and scary as I seem to you, did you know that that's nothing compared to him, he can be the most dangerous being in the universe?"

Martha shook her head mutely.

"Did you know he once had a wife and children that he destroyed?"

"What?" Martha almost choked on this.

"You see, you're not in love with him, and you're in love with the _idea_ of him. Rose was the same when she first met me, but she was stupid enough to take the Time Vortex into her head, it showed her so many things, most of which she probably doesn't remember all that clearly but the knowledge is still there somewhere. It's only really now that she knows him and me, seen what I was, what he is. What he's capable of. The thing is Martha unless someone really lets you in you'll never really know them." He stood and rolled his shoulders, as if brushing away the entire conversation. "Now make yourself useful, I could murder another cup of coffee. Ta." With that he grinned and left her at the table.

She wasn't quite sure what had just happened there but she suddenly felt unsure of everything she thought she knew. When her Doctor had spoken to her in the cell he hadn't told her all these things and now she had the horrible feeling that it all made sense, that this Doctor was right. But surely she couldn't have made him into that much of an idea could she?

XxXxX

  
  



	21. Chapter 21

The Doctor paced around the control panel; circling it, ready to pounce at the slightest indication of progress.

"You're gona wear a hole in the grating," Jack told him, slouched on the jump seat.

"It shouldn't be taking this long. The Time Agency really did a number on her."

"Can't we give her a power boost?"

"Only works if you're on the rift."

"So let's go to the rift. Open the engines and suck up the power and get the party started." He saw the Doctor look towards the doors. "We'll be back before she even realises we're gone."

"Fine, if anything goes wrong I'm blaming you," the Doctor said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Hey, why not?!" Jack grinned with a shrug.

"Where are we going?" Martha asked; stumbling through the door as the TARDIS lurched, trying not to spill the Doctor's coffee.

"To get more power."

"From where?"

"Cardiff," Jack told her soberly.

"Cardiff?"

"Yup, Roald Dahl Plass to be exact," the Doctor told her. "A rift runs right through it. Acts like a super charge for the TARDIS."

"And a rift is?"

"It's like a scar in time and space and it emits this type of radiation that the TARDIS has suck up and use to power her engines, right Doc?" Jack said proudly.

"Right Bugs."

"Bugs?"

"Bugs Bunny," the Doctor elaborated in all seriousness. "He always ends his sentences with 'Doc' too."

Jack shook his head as Martha smiled.

"Yeah but what actually is the rift?" She asked feeling none the wiser.

"I told you a scar in time and space," Jack sighed as the TARDIS bumped to a halt.

"It's a bit like a portal between worlds and universes. It's what Rose fell through, though generally people don't fall through a rift until someone opens it," the Doctor explained, throwing levers open.

"And aren't you glad they did?!" Jack grinned again.

The TARDIS began to hum happily in a slightly higher pitch as her engines were opened.

"There we are old girl," the Doctor soothed and looked up at the door as someone knocked.

"Someone saw us?" Martha suggested.

"Doubtful, TARDIS has a perception filter. No one ever quite sees it unless they know what to look for."

"Oh, meant to tell you…." Jack halted as the Doctor raised a hand, moving to the door.

Opening it a crack the Doctor sighed with relief when he saw the familiar faces of Jack's crew hovering outside.

"Oh my god!" Tosh breathed.

"Nope, no God here, just us chickens." The Doctor stepped back allowing them all in, noting the funny looks he was getting from Owen and Gwen.

"I know you told me you were him but I'd never really been able to set the thought right in my mind until now," Tosh told him, her eyes racking over the familiar face of a man she met years ago.

"Appearances can be deceiving."

"You're telling us!" Owen said, "who the hell are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. Long story, _someone_ was careless with a vial of Nanogenes and now I'm back to my old self rather than my new old self."

"Did you find them?" Tosh asked.

"Yes, thank you Toshiko. TARDIS is re-programming them now."

"I was worried something had gone wrong when you landed here."

"Just needed to refuel. Had a bit of trouble in space. Took a bit out of our girl," Jack told her, giving her a squeeze.

"Trouble seems to follow you about Jack," Gwen said, hugging him.

"Hey I object! Actually, yeah it sort of was my fault. Completely unintentional!"

"It was a joint effort," the Doctor said, "although at least you didn't end up naked this time."

Jack's friend's eyes were all on him then.

"I take it Jack manages to remain fully clothed around you lot these days?"

"These days?" Gwen asked, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Well it's good to see you all in one piece," Tosh said looking at them all and noticing Martha for the first time. "Oh, sorry, I just saw three people and assumed. Where's Rose?"

"In London, didn't want her here getting her hopes up in case things went wrong. This is the brilliant, soon-to-be-Dr. Martha Jones. She travelled with me for a while. Well the other me… it's complicated."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Toshiko, and these two are Owen and Gwen. We're Torchwood three," she introduced taking Martha's hand.

Owen gave Martha a wink to which she raised her eyebrows in a 'not a chance' manner.

Jack couldn't hide his amusement. "Looks like she's been spoilt, Owen. Must be travelling in time and space that does it. Exotic places and people and of course, me and the Doctor. Once you've had us you never go back! Where's Ianto?" he asked without even thinking and winced at the connection.

"He went home hours ago. It's three in the morning," Gwen told him.

"Why are you all still here?"

"We were helping you. Couldn't leave Tosh to do it all herself."

An awkward silence descended as the occupants looked at each other.

The TARDIS phone started ringing making everyone jump and the Doctor stared at the receiver. What if it was Rose? Maybe she'd woken up and found they'd all gone and wanted to know what was happening.

His hand almost shook as he reached for the answer button.

"Doctor?" Jackie Tyler's image fizzled into view on the monitor. "What the bloody hell's going on?" she screeched as she saw the Doctor through her own monitor.

Jack motioned for Martha and the Torchwood three to follow him further into the TARDIS giving the Doctor and Jackie some privacy. If Jackie was going to yell at him, they didn't need to in view.

"Hello Jackie, nice to see you too."

XxXxX

"Who's that? Rose's mum?" Martha asked as they hovered in the corridor.

"Yup, Jackie Tyler. She's not as bad as she appears at first. Mind you, upset her or her girl and you're in for it. The Doctor may be the Oncoming Storm but Jackie is the Oncoming Tornado. Helped keep the Doctor alive when his regeneration went wrong though and she loves them both to pieces, despite the hard time she gives him. It's not every day your daughter gets sucked away from you with no hope of returning. And not every day your daughter falls in love with a time travelling alien."

"Did she try and stop Rose seeing him?" Gwen asked.

"Not really. When she first found out what he was she called the authorities to pick him up but then he went and saved the world. She's not daft; she brought Rose up to be independent and to make her own decisions. Even if it means letting her live her life with a time travelling alien who takes you home after twelve months instead of twelve hours."

"So her mum just let her go travelling with him? Wow, my mum went berserk when she found out who he was. Told me to stay away from him. Practically screamed it," Martha told him. "I wish my mum was more like that, you know… chilled out."

"Last time I heard Rose's mum she was far from chilled out," Owen told her. "What was she yelling at him for that time…? Oh yeah getting her stuck here."

"You seem to enjoy that far too much Owen. Still got a thing for the young Miss Tyler?" Jack enquired.

"Not at all."

"No I think he's moved on to the Doctor," Gwen teased causing them all to giggle.

"Which one?" Martha asked causing them to giggle even harder. All except Owen which only caused them to giggle harder still until Jack reminded them to keep the noise down.

"You know, Doctor didn't like it when he found out I was hovering in a hall way," Martha reminded him.  
  


"This is different; he isn't telling her anything we don't already know. Besides we need to be nearby in case he needs our help," Jack told her. "But in answer to your original question; I'm sure Jackie asked her not to stay with him but I think by that point she realised it was pretty pointless. Rose never knew her dad and I think Jackie mistook Rose's affection towards the Doctor as a fatherly thing."

"If only she could see them now."

"Oh she knows. Like I said, she may be blond and ditsy at times but she's not completely stupid. Thing is Martha from what I've heard, your family is different. You have a large family. When they were in this universe Jackie and Rose only had each other. You're from two different worlds."

"Tell me about it. That's who he was when Rose met him?"

Jack nodded. "Makes you think doesn't it. Imagine if you'd met that him on the moon instead. Still think you would have gone with him?"

Martha bit her lip and thought. "I really don't know. Like you said he's not as cuddly. He says Ten is more dangerous but he seems pretty scary to me."

"That's just it," Tosh said. "You don't quite believe him when he says his other self is more dangerous because he comes across as a more agreeable soul. That's where the danger lies."

"False sense of security?" Gwen asked

"Exactly."

"You'd think he's a soft touch with the fluffy hair and big round eyes but they just hide the danger better than a grumpy northern bloke," Owen concluded.

"I think if I'd met him first I'd probably have stayed home instead of telling him I wanted to stay," Martha said finally.

"Curiosity wouldn't have got the better of you?" Jack asked.

"Hard to say. He's not as people friendly that's for sure. What do you suppose made Rose go with him?"

"Dunno really, never really asked. That's a good question. Ask her."

Martha nodded, "yeah, maybe I will." She smiled up at him before turning her attention back to the Doctor and Jackie.

XxXxX

"But you're….you're…"

"Yes Jackie. We've had a bit of an accident. Nothing to worry about."

"Accident? Where's Rose?"

"I'm fine, really thanks for asking," the Doctor said, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"Don't roll your eyes at me mister! You're not too old for a slap!"

"No, but I'm too far away." He grinned at her in the way he always did when he knew he was right. "Rose is fine. She's in your flat, asleep."

"Oh I see, get your old face back and dump her did ya?"

"Oh don't be stupid. We'll be back before she knows it. Like I said, it's all a bit of an accident. It'll all be sorted soon. I hope. Just didn't want her getting her hopes up."

Something must have registered on his face because Jackie's look softened.

"Are you alright? Is this one of those regener-watsits?"

"No, I haven't regenerated. This is just some alien technology gone mad."

"Well that's something I suppose. At least Rose doesn't have to do that all over again. You're bloody awkward to get into a pair of pyjamas."

"Wasn't my fault. You two decided to do it. Could've left me as I was."

"It didn't look comfy. You are alright though aren't you Doctor? And tell me the truth I can tell when this you is lying just as well as the other one."

"I don't know Jackie," he sighed, surprising himself with his honesty. "I'm not exactly me. I'm human."

"What?!"

"The technology took away one of my hearts." He saw Jackie's eyes glaze over.

"Oh Doctor, sweetheart, I'm sorry. You must be terrified."

He shook his head. "It's fine, really."

"Liar." The pair chuckled. "You can fix it though right?"

"That's the plan. Working on it as we speak. Well the TARDIS is. And honestly, Rose is fine. Better than the rest of us anyway." It wasn't strictly true but Jackie seemed to accept it.

"That's my girl. I'll leave you to it. Just make sure you look after yourselves and ring me when you can, when you know anything? Please."

"We will. Hopefully you'll see a friendlier face."

"Oh I dunno. You're not so bad with that one when you're not being grumpy."

"Thanks, I'll remember that."

"Let's hope you don't have to."

"Trust me I _am_ hoping, I am."

"Bye Doctor, give Rose my love."

"Bye Jackie." The Doctor sighed as the connection cut out. He found himself missing Jackie Tyler, something he never thought possible but he did. There was something comforting about having her on the estate when things weren't going the way they should. Knowing Rose had someone outside of the TARDIS to turn to was always a comfort to both of them but he did miss her fussing over them when they visited, of course he'd never admit it out loud.

On cue the TARDIS began beeping and everyone rushed back into the control room.

Martha was the first to approach; she took his hand and squeezed it. "Good luck," she whispered.

He nodded tightly before dropping a quick kiss to the top of her head.

"This is it Doctor. Think it'll work?" Jack asked, moving to the alien's side.

"If not I'm taking you back to that game station, excuse me." Lifting the vial of Nanogenes from the control panel the Doctor turned and headed as far away from the company as possible.

"So this is your fault? What did you do this time Jack?" Gwen asked.

XxXxX

* * *


	22. Chapter 22

The TARDIS landed with a thud back on the Powell Estate.

"You okay Doc?" Jack asked as they headed for the doors.

"Give me a few minutes," was all the Doctor said as he strode off through the rain towards the flat, the water soaking through his clothes in no time at all.

Taking a deep breath and with a shaking hand the Doctor let himself in. There was no sound inside and he decided Rose must still be asleep. Lucky girl.

He knew he was dripping rain water every where and right now he didn't care; it wasn't as if Jackie could tell him off. Rubbing a hand over his face he wiped the water from his eyes and quietly closed the door.

The Doctor debated whether he should wake Rose or not but he knew she'd be upset if he had news and didn't tell her straight away. He knew Jack and Martha weren't far behind and he wanted to do this himself. He needed to do this himself.

Carefully turning the handle on her bedroom door he took a deep breath and stepped through.

Her bed was messy but she wasn't in it. He moved down the corridor to the living room and found her on the sofa. He watched her sleeping for a while, the light from the hallway giving her a warm glow.

Closing the door behind him, blocking out the light he silently walked to her side and crouched down next to her, smoothing an errand strand of hair away from her face.

Rose frowned at the cool, damp touch and her eyes fluttered opened. She gasped at the outline of a man next to her, a flutter of panic bubbling up inside her.

"Rose, it's okay, it's only me," he said, his voice a gruff whisper. "It's me, your safe."

"Doctor?"

"Yeah."

She sat up suddenly and reached for the light switch.

"Wait," his said; his voice no more than a whisper.

"It's okay. No matter which one you are I don't care. I miss you."

He picked up one of her hands and kissed her knuckles. "Quite right too," his voice had a hint of laughter to it and Rose froze. She'd readied herself to have her old Doctor back for good but hadn't reckoned on him becoming such a mixture of the two. Taking a deep breath, Rose reached for the switch and this time he didn't stop her.

XxXxX

Martha and Jack hovered in the hallway, practically bouncing on the spot, waiting for Rose's reaction, but when it came it wasn't at all what they were expecting.

There was a loud scream and an even louder thud of something hitting something very solid and then there was silence.

"What was that? Do you think they're alright?" Martha asked.

"I…I don't know. Should we go in?"

She shrugged. "Dunno."

The pair stared at the door worriedly, waiting for any indication that the occupants were still alive.

XxXxX

Rose's hand flew to her mouth as scream escaped before launching herself into the Doctor's arms, sending him flat on his back, his head connecting loudly with the coffee table.

Before he had time to even groan at the pain Rose clamped her mouth over his and kissed him. After a moment the Doctor regained some control and kissed her back, his hands cupping the sides of her face.

Warmth spread through her and colours swirled through her mind. She felt so many things all at once and all of them were wonderful. Love and lust, promise, protection and sheer emotional need. One that craved a mate to fill the gaps. It was like the Doctor's soul was on display and it made her want to laugh and cry at the same time. The longer the kiss lasted the more Rose could feel his baser emotions coming forward, dominating her mind.

The Doctor snatched his hands away from her, breaking the kiss. "Sorry," he panted. "I didn't mean to…"

Rose shook her head. "It was fantastic, we should try that later." She grinned at him wickedly.

He looked puzzled and she giggled. "It was like I knew exactly what you were thinking and feeling. I dunno it was kind of…. It made me tingle." She told him running her fingers through his mop of wet, brown hair. "I am so glad to see you." She kissed him hard again, preventing him from saying anything.

"I haven't been gone that long. Only half hour or so," he managed finally.

"You've been gone hours!"

"Can't have been, it's still dark out." He noted the look on her face and realised what she meant. "Oh, well I'm with you on that one." He beamed at her as she looked into his warm chocolate eyes. "Oww, by the way," he said, rubbing the back of his head where it had connected with the table.

"Sorry," Rose pulled away from him, helping him to sit upright.

"Everything alright in there?" Jack called from the hallway, sounding very nervous.

The pair smiled at each other again.

"No, everyone's out to kill me!" the Doctor called and Jack burst in, accidentally kicking his foot. "And oww again!"

"Sorry Doc."

"Uh Jack… why the gun?" Rose asked, eyeing Jack's pistol and stood, allowing the Time Lord up.

The Doctor stood arching his stiff back and rocking his head from side to side. "Put it away big boy," he said winking.

"It really is good to have you back, Doc. I mean don't get me wrong we love you know matter which one you are, but this you is far more fun."

"Hmm," the Doctor smiled; a twinkle in his eye. "Listen. About earlier…"

"Forget about it."

"No, I'm sorry. I was wrong, very wrong. I didn't really know…." He raked his fingers through his hair trying to straighten out his thoughts into coherent sentences.

"It was scary, I get it. You were confused."

"Not an excuse to turn on your friends." He spotted Martha hovering in the hallway and moved towards her. "Martha, I…." The look in his eyes broke any resolve she had to stay at arms length. He looked so desperate and lost. She didn't think she could dare open her mouth to speak so instead she nodded and wrapped her arms round him, glad to see her Doctor again.

"Thank you Martha," he whispered so only she could hear; an intimate little whisper that warmed her inside.

Clearing her throat she found her voice. "Can we sleep now? It feels like we've been awake forever and I am seriously cold and wet." She shivered as rain water ran down from her hair between her shoulder blades.

"Seconded," Jack said. "Mind if I sleep here on the sofa? Knowing my luck the TARDIS will move my room again and I'll be hunting the halls for it for another hour."

"I would ask you to explain but I don't think any of us have the energy to laugh at you properly," the Doctor told him, suddenly feeling weary himself.

"I wasn't planning on sending you back out in that weather anyway." Rose smiled; glad to have her friend's in her former home. "Martha, you can use Mum's room if you like, I'll get you some pyjamas." Taking Martha by the hand she led her into the next room, showing her where everything was.

Jack and the Doctor stood in silence for a moment. Neither knew who moved first but the next thing they knew they were hugging.

"Thank you Jack."

"Any time." The former Time Agent stepped back and smiled at the Doctor when he bowed his head embarrassed. "Rosie, you got any towels?"

"Sure," she replied appearing at the door holding one out to him. "Gimme your clothes and I'll put them in the dryer."

"Fine but no peeking while I'm sleeping." He winked.

"So we can peek while you're awake then?" the Doctor said pulling a duvet out from behind the sofa and smiling at Martha who was giggling, hovering in the doorway towelling her hair.

"Wouldn't be the first time I'll bet."

"You'll never know Jack, you'll never know." The Doctor winked, tossed to duvet on the sofa and left.

"Just keep…. everything under the covers yeah?" Rose said with a smile. "Night Jack," she went to hug him then remembered his soaking wet clothes. "Oh well, I'm wet anyway," she smiled, throwing her arms around her friend and reaching up on tip toe to press a kiss to his cheek before heading back to her room, passing Martha in the hall. "G'night."

"Night Rose. Thanks." Martha smiled at the girl, a real, grateful smile before retreating to the bedroom.

XxXxX

"What you looking at?" Rose asked, finding the Doctor at her bedroom window staring out into the darkened streets. He lifted an arm and pointed out into the distance. "A storm's approaching."

Rose shuddered beside him. "Don't say that."

"Why not? It is, see there, you can see the lightning. Don't you like thunder storms?"

"Never really bothered me just don't like it when you say that."

He was frowning at her.

"Last time you said that we had about three days and then it was over."

"Oh…" he hadn't thought of that. "I love thunderstorms. Something exciting about them. You hear that first rumble and you get that tingle up your spine, then you get the really loud cracks of it if you're lucky and you almost feel it set your whole body alive."

"Never really thought about it. I tend to ignore them or start running to get inside before it rains."

She looked up at him, his eyes were sparkling and the thunder was growing louder.

"What's that look for?"

"Thunderstorms clear the air. They take away everything that weighs heavily on a hot summers day. Come on. Captain? Martha? We're going to play in the rain, care to join us?"

"What? Are you crazy? I just got dry," Jack called after them as the Doctor ran out of the front door, dragging a yelping Rose with him.

"What's going on?" Martha appeared at her bedroom door, pulling her wet shirt back on.

"The Doctor's lost his mind," he told her. Grabbing his coat and wrapping it around himself he jogged out to the walk way and peered over the edge into the darkened square. He could see the warm glow from the lights in the TARDIS' windows illuminating spots on the wet ground and shimmering in puddles that had gathered. The rain had stalled for the moment and he couldn't help but laugh as the Doctor came into view under the street lamps giving Rose a piggy back. He could hear her giggling, her arms wrapped tightly round his shoulders, desperately clinging to him, her slippered feet locked around his waist.

"Shall we?" Jack turned to Martha as he felt her approach.

Martha looked down at her clothes and then back out at her friend's. "I'm pretty much game for anything. Not like we can get much wetter."

Jack smiled, took her hand and they ran down to join the other time travellers.

"Ah Captain!" the Doctor greeted as the pair approached. "Just in time." He nodded ahead of him.

Jack and Martha turned to see a sheet of water heading towards them.

The Doctor set Rose down on the floor. "Ready?" he asked looking round at her.

"Oh yeah!" she grinned back.

"Ready for what?" Martha asked stepping backwards as the rain came towards them.

"Wait for Doctor and Rose ran as fast as they could away from the rain as it crept up on them, Jack and Martha hot on their heels. They kept running until it caught them, at which point they skidded to a stop and laughed, gladly losing the race.

"That's the thing about thunderstorms; they wash away all the days messiness, all the heat and dirt completely wiped out by a thunderstorm." The Doctor turned his face up to the sky and let the rain fall across his face.

The four friends spent the next ten minutes or so messing about in the puddles before deciding it really was time to dry off and turn in.

XxXxX

Rose woke to find herself alone in bed. Reaching out to the Doctor's side she was relieved to find it still warm. It hadn't been a dream, her Doctor really was back. Bolting out of bed, she ran through the flat to find him.

"So Doc, what's the plan for today?" Jack asked, pulling on his newly pressed trousers.

"Get everything settled again, make sure the TARDIS is working properly then take Martha home," he told him passing him his shirt before starting on his own.

Rose stood peering round the doorway watching her two favourite men. She'd never seen the Doctor with an iron in his hand before and it seemed a little wrong. He was naked from the waist up and his fly was undone, waiting for a shirt to be tucked in.

"What's going on?" Martha whispered from behind her.

Rose looked round and smiled at the girl, nodding for her to take a look.

"Is he….?"

Rose nodded.

"Isn't that a little domestic?"

"I'll have you know Martha Jones I always iron my shirt and suits, how else do you think they look remotely wearable in the morning?" the Doctor's voice floated through the door.

When the girls opened the door further they found he was grinning at them as he slipped on his shirt.

"I always figured the TARDIS did them. Never seen you do laundry, ever."

"That's because you apes need so much sleep. When you're all off in dreamland I get to do my laundry in peace." He walked towards the pair. "Morning," he said, dropping a kiss to the top of Rose's head as he squeezed past heading to the kitchen. "Grubs up."

"You cooked as well?" Rose called after him.

"Not guilty. Jack did. I was ironing."

"Thank god for that!" Martha teased.

"I wouldn't mock Martha, he's not a bad cook for a guy who rarely seems to eat," Jack told her zipping up his fly and giving her a wink.

"Are you lot going to stand there gassing or are you actually going to eat this stuff?" the Doctor called through the serving hatch, holding a plate out.

"You sounding just like mum then," Rose told him, taking the plate and putting it on the table.

"Just for that Rose Marion Tyler you are on washing up detail."

The four sat at the dining table and chatted for a while before the conversation went to the night before.

"So how does it feel to be back in the cold light of day, Doc?" Jack asked.

All eyes were then on him as he coolly brought his tea cup to his lips.

"A relief. Those ears really weren't mirror friendly. Seriously though. A huge relief. And it's not something I wish to do again. From now on Nanogenes are henceforth banished from the TARDIS. We stick with the old girls gadgets and gizmos and be patient."

"Amen," Rose sighed. "So what are we doing next?"

"Bit eager aren't you, I've only just got back."

"You always say you're the same person, so technically you haven't been away, just feels like it."

"I think I need more tea," the Doctor groaned putting his head in his hands. "It wasn't this hard when there were five of me in the same room!"

"What? When was this?"

"A long, long time ago. God it was awful. All picking holes in the others dress sense." He shook his head at the memory. "Right then Miss Tyler, Miss Jones. Time to get moving if you don't want to stick around here."

"Not particularly," Rose admitted.

"I don't mind either way really," Martha said, trying to hide the disappointment that was brewing at the thought of returning home.

"Better get anything you want to take together then Rose."

"We can come back though can't we?"

"'Course. I told you, it's all paid for. Anytime you feel like being domestic or just want to visit just say the word. It's your home Rose."

"It _was_ my home. It's just its mum's home with mum's things you know?"

The Doctor smiled softly and nodded. "I know."

XxXxX

The Doctor jogged down the last flight of stairs out into the courtyard lugging a rather large backpack full of clothes.

"Still don't understand how she has this much left to take on board!" the Doctor muttered chuckling to himself as he shifted the weight.

"Excuse me!" a voice came from behind him.

He altered direction slightly away from the TARDIS.

"Excuse me!" the voice called again.

Turning round he saw a girl about Rose's age running towards him.

"You were a friend of Rose's weren't you?"

XxXxX


	23. Chapter 23

"Uh…well.."

"Keish?" Rose's voice saved him having to answer.

"Rose?! Oh my god Rose!" the girl ran towards her almost knocking her off her feet. "They said you were dead! What about your mum and Mickey?"

Rose faltered slightly, her smile slipping from her face. "They're gone."

The Doctor walked over to them and smiled softly at Rose.

"Keish this is…"

"James McCrimmon. Nice to meet you. Heard a lot about you."

Rose frowned at the Scottish accent that flew from the Doctor's lips.

"I've seen you around a lot last year or so, never had the guts to come and talk to you though. Just figured seeing as they said Rose was dead that you might not talk to me."

"Ah," the Doctor nodded. "Well I wouldn't have been able to tell you much anyway. I didn't know she was still with us until a couple of weeks ago either," he told her in all honesty. "It was a bit of a shock when she walked back through my door I can tell you."

"Should've seen him," Rose said, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Looked like he was ready to scream Almost literally ran away."

"Not surprised. Thinking your friend's dead and having her turn up on your doorstep. I still can't believe you're here. I'm sorry about Mickey and your mum."

"Thanks."

"Must be weird going back in there without them. So where have you been anyways?"

That was the question Rose had been dreading.

"Um well…" she looked at the Doctor for help.

"Well we were travelling," he said. "And when those robots appeared we got separated and it took her a very long time to find her way home. Security is still pretty tight coming into the country and I had her passport and everything. So she was stranded a long way from home." He looked at Rose to find her looking directly into his eyes.

' _More true than she'll ever know,'_ he heard her say in his mind.

"Rose, why don't you take Keisha up for a cup of tea and see what's keeping the others while I take this to the T…car."

Rose nodded and guided Keisha away from the Doctor.

XxXxX

"Here these blokes of yours are a bit of alright!" Keisha gushed in the kitchen, sat down with Martha and Rose.

"Could be worse," Martha smirked.

"No wonder Mickey disappeared. The competition….well there ain't one really is there? That accent!"

"Oh Rose and Jack aren't…" Martha started.

"Oh I don't mean him… he's not Rose's type at all. I mean James. Where's that accent from anyway?"

"James …?"

"Scotland, can't remember where, we don't see his home much," Rose cut in, her eyes begging Martha to go with it.

"We ready to go?" the Doctor breezed into the kitchen with a very amused Jack watching on from the doorway.

"Where in Scotland are you from anyway?" Keisha asked as she stood.

"Uh….Paisley, well sort of, around there. Tiny little village, not even really on the map."

Martha sat staring at him, jaw dropped. This was a side of the Doctor she hadn't come across before. What happened to John Smith?

"Anyway. It was good to see you Keish." Rose stood and hugged her friend.

"You ever coming back here?" Keisha asked as they walked to the front door.

"Yeah, I'll be back. Look my number hasn't changed so call me yeah? We can go out properly."

"Sounds good. Nice to me you all," she smiled as Rose slammed the door, locking it behind them. "You look after my mate." She warned, poking the Doctor in the arm.

"Count on it," he nodded.

"You better," she warned before giving Rose another hug. "See you soon yeah?"

"Yeah. Bye Keish."

Rose watched her friend walk off towards her own flat.

"You okay?" Martha asked.

"Yeah. She'll let them all know I'm alive and kicking. Doesn't know we're kicking evil alien's bums but still. Good to see her though. Come on, let's go home."

XxXxX

"So Doctor what's with the whole Scottish James thing?" Martha asked finally as they closed the TARDIS doors.

"Well….just doesn't feel right being John Smith anymore," he shrugged. "Right then, where to?"

"Suppose I better get back to my exams. Any chance you can drop me off so I won't have missed much?"

"I should think so, if that's what you want"

"Well I don't want to be behind."

"That's not what he meant. You don't want to come with us, old times sake? Hasn't been much fun has it?" Jack asked.

Martha looked at Rose who just smiled. "I don't know…"

"Oh what harm can it do? One trip," Rose said.

"That's what he said last time."

"Well that's up to you this time."

"No. Thanks for the offer but I've got my exams and my family. This just isn't me anymore. You all make a difference out there," she pointed to the sky. "Time I tried to make a difference down here."

The Doctor merely nodded. "Right then. Question remains. Hospital or flat?"

"Um… hospital. Better finish my shift."

"How long did you have left?"

"'Bout an hour."

"Well give me ten minutes and you'll be there."

Martha nodded, following Rose out of the control room and to her bedroom, carry one of her bags..

"Can I ask you something?" she said finally.

"You can ask," Rose replied, a little cautious.

"What made you go with him in the first place? Your first Doctor I mean. Our Doctor is so different."

"I know," Rose sighed and sat on her bed. "My first Doctor….I didn't have anything really to lose I suppose. No A-Levels, he blew up my job. I guess I thought it would be a great experience."

"What made you carry on travelling?"

"It was all so mental. It's kind of addictive and scary and fantastic at the same time, if that makes sense. He had to ask me twice though. First time I stayed behind thinking it was the right thing to do, you know, Mickey and Mum relied on me. Instantly regretted it the minute he closed the door."

"What changed?"

"He appeared again five seconds later and said 'oh by the way it travels in time too'. That and the lonely look in his eyes. There was just something there. Reminded me of this song my mate used to play all the time. 'see the man with the lonely eyes, take his hand you'll be surprised.' Or something like that."

"'Give a little bit' Supertramp 1977," the Doctor said from the door way.

"How long have you been lurking there?" Martha asked.

"Excuse me I do not lurk, I hover. Not long, just came to say almost there." With that he turned and left, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"You sure you won't stay a while? He's going to miss you." Rose asked.

"I'm sure. I know I'm giving up a great opportunity and I loved travelling with him, most of the time anyway but I have a life here now. And if he taught me anything its make the most of what you've got. So I'm going to go home, be with my family, finish my exams and get on with my life."

Rose nodded and offered a small smile. "Tell ya what, give me your phone."

Martha handed it over.

"This is the TARDIS' number and I'll give you mine too. You ever get bored or fancy doing something a bit mental call us, yeah?"

"Why would you want me along? It hasn't exactly been happy families has it?"

"I was the same when I met Sarah-Jane just for different reasons. He had to leave her behind one day and never mentioned her so I thought that's what was going to happen to me. Must've driven you nuts hearing about me."

"A bit. Although I never really heard much about you until now. Just little fleeting comments and stuff, then he'd catch himself. I'm glad you found him again though. I wouldn't want him to be on his own."

"You're a good friend Martha Jones. I'm glad I got to meet you."

"Me too. And just for the record. He's better off with you anyway. He'll live longer for a start. No 'come on then, kill me' with you around."

"Bloody hope not!"

The two giggled.

"Seriously though. I'm gad he's got you. And if I have to lose out to anyone I'm glad it was you."

Rose nodded, unsure of what to say. "Thank you Martha. For looking after him, for being his friend. I know he doesn't make it easy sometimes."

"Got that right."

"But like he always says; he only travels with the best which makes you one of the best."

The TARDIS bumped.

"Looks like I'm home."

XxXxX

"Royal Hope Hospital car park," the Doctor called as the two girls entered the control room. "Last chance to change your mind."

"Not today Doctor, maybe one day but not today," Martha told him. "Well, suppose I better get back out there." She turned and hugged Rose causing both men to raise their eyebrows. "Thanks Rose. Look after him," she whispered.

"Forever," Rose whispered back. "Don't be a stranger yeah?"

"You bet." Martha turned to Jack. "Lovely to meet you Captain," she held out her hand.  
  


"Oh Miss Jones, I think we're past that by now don't you?" He swept her up in his arms, bent her backwards and kissed her, eliciting chuckles from Rose and the Doctor. "See?" he said finally as he set her upright, "far more friendly."

Martha smiled, rolling her eyes. "How do they put up with you?"

"Well, the Doc generally just says 'stop it' and glares at me over the top of his glasses, although all that does is make him look even more irresistible." He waggled his eyebrows.

"Not without buying me a drink first," the Doctor called in a sing song tone walking towards the doors.

Martha laughed "bye," she smiled, following the Time Lord outside.

"Well Martha Jones. I suppose this is good bye," the Doctor sighed.

"For now anyway. You don't get rid of me that easily." She gave him a playful shove.

"Should hope not. Life with me in it is far too fun for that. It's good to see you again Martha."

"You too. You look after yourself and those two. You've got a good family there."

"I only travel with the best. Past and present."

"That's what Rose said."

"She's a smart girl."

"Yes she is. I'm glad she found you again. Anyway I better get inside. How long have I been gone?"

"'Bout ten minutes."

"You mean you actually got it to land where you wanted it?"

"Cheeky." the Doctor smiled.

"I meant to ask. The other you said that I don't really know you," she watched the Doctor wince. "No it's okay, he's right. I don't. But what does it feel like to be you?"

The Doctor regarded her for a minute before taking her hand. "It feels like this."

She closed her eyes against the sensation that crept up her arm. She felt dizzy, like when she used to spin round as a child then lay on the floor. The whole earth moving beneath her. She felt a tinge of sadness that she knew would never fully die; a hint of madness that borders on the right side of goodness and so much love for a planet that doesn't even know he exists.

"Wow, that's a weird trip."

The Doctor chuckled. "Try living it every day. Look I want you to have this. It's not the one we had obviously but it works, just don't open it while I'm still here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver pocket watch, placing it in the palm of her hand.

"Thank you Doctor. For everything." She reached up and hugged him tightly before pressing a light kiss to his cheek. "Bye."

The Doctor watched his friend walk away. At least this time there was no anger.

"I'll be seeing you Martha Jones," the Doctor whispered.

XxXxX

Martha walked across the car park, not daring to look back, the pocket watch gripped tightly in her hand. As she walked through the doors she ran to the locker room and sat on the bench.

With shaking fingers she opened the watch. A tiny hologram Doctor stood on the clock face, hand shoved in pockets as usual, a golden glow colouring him.

' _Hello again Martha. Knowing you I probably won't have had time to leave the car park before you open this. I just wanted to say that you are fantastic. I know things haven't always been easy with me around and I didn't treat you as well as I should have. In fact at times I was down right cruel, didn't realise it at the time though so I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the times I hurt you, all the times I was mean and dismissive and for making you feel second best. I hope one day you'll forgive me. You know where we are if you ever need us. I'm sure Rose will have forced her mobile number on you by now, no escaping that one I'm afraid.'_

There was a giggle in the background that Martha was sure came from Jack.

' _Anyway. Thank you Martha Jones, for everything you've done. You made an ageing and broken Time Lord's life more bearable, even if he didn't deserve it.'_

The picture faded and Martha wiped her eyes. Smiling she put the watch in her pocket and smiling, returned to the ward to finish the day she started so long ago.

XxXxX

"You alright?" Rose asked as the Time Lord stepped back in.

"Me? I'm fantastic," he grinned. "So where to?"

"Dunno, somewhere fun. No drama for a change. No torture just for long though, I think we'll get bored after a day or so."

"Relaxed fun it is. Any preferences Jack? And if you even think about say the name of a certain pleasure planet I will disown you!"

"What's wrong with a pleasure planet?" Rose asked, her gaze flicking between Jack and the Doctor.

"The problem sweetheart is that on this particular planet you lose all you inhibitions, you're driven by the things that pleasure you," Jack explained.

"And the problem with that is?"

"A Time Lord with no inhibitions is a very dangerous thing," the Doctor told them.

"So he says. I think he just doesn't like not being in control." Jack whispered.

"I could comment on that but I won't," Rose caught her tongue between her teeth and smiled at her lover.

"Behave," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Right then, how about pot luck? Let the TARDIS choose."

"You're the boss."

"Oh really? That makes a change," the Doctor chuckled. "Oh wait, first we need to stop in Cardiff."

"Oh?" Rose stepped beside him.

"Need to let your mother know everything's alright. She has an uncanny knack of phoning right in the middle of things."

"Tell me about it! Right, look out Cardiff, here we come!"

"Hold on tight!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it for this one. Ten, Rose and Jack will return shortly in “Possession”so if you’re interested please subscribe for updates. Thanks for reading. Much love xx


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